Curse of Slytherin Part 2
by Black Sheep
Summary: Harry is having weird dreams. Voldemort tells him a few secrets that he probably wouldn’t have believed under normal circumstances. SSHP
1. Chapter 01

Title:                 The Curse of Slytherin Trilogy: Part II:  Secrets to Keep       (07-11)

Author:             Shayla

Series:             Harry Potter

Started:                        19.10.2002

Pairing:             SS/HP

Warning:           Slash, Rated: R because there might be some rape later; also some angst, as well as gen. change although it will only happen once in PART 1 as far as I have planned and I will mention some sort of mpreg in PART 2 …

And in this fic I do not take in consideration the events of OoP.

Beta:                NOT BETAD!! I don't have anyone to help me out with this so forgive my many mistakes, I'm not a native English-speaker and my friends accuse me of being a Coma-Eater --'

Summary:         Harry is having weird dreams. Voldemort tells him a few secrets that he probably wouldn't have believed under normal circumstances. After that encounter Harry is not really up to do anything and wants only to be left alone as soon as possible. Sadly, things are never easy for him considering that he has a curse on him that will bring upon the birth of a long dead wizard…

Disclaimer:        I wish Harry Potter were mine, but it isn't…sighs I guess there are other people who feel like this, right?

Note to Part II:   As in the 1st part the 'dream sequence' in the end is mostly Harry's POV… and some is Salazar's…

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Part - Secrets to Keep Chapter 7 

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The House-Elves and the teachers who had not been injured during the earthquake had more or less returned Hogwarts to its usual state. Two days had passed since then, Madam Pomfrey had done her magic and almost everyone was back on their feet helping rebuilt the damages and still somehow managing to attend the few classes that had not been canceled due collapsed classrooms or hallways leading to them. To the dislike and surprise of most the dungeon had been one of the few places that had remained intact and the Ravenclaws had been moved down since their dorms had taken most of the damage.

Draco sat annoyed in the Great Hall at dinner picking with his fork aimlessly around in his plate while he glanced form time to time to the door hoping to see Harry come in. He knew that the Gryffindor had been found but was kept secluded from the others. And he also knew from his father that the boy had escaped the Death Eaters that night before. His father had been outraged and Draco really hoped that Tom wouldn't get all the blame for it. His father was as merciless as the Dark Lords was rumored to be, and most of all, Lucius Malfoy detested failure above all.

To his right Goyle asked him something but Draco ignored it letting his fork fall loud on the plate and getting up leaving the hall alone, aware that various eyes followed him due his odd behavior lately. He sighed; he couldn't help worrying about his cousin, over the last month he had actually come to like Harry. Maybe he should simply try to sneak into Harry's room in the infirmary to see how he was. Damn it, if at least someone would tell him what exactly had happened two night ago, he might be able to stop worrying.

He went up the stairway that leaded to the hospital wing as Harry came walking rather unsteadily down towards him. Draco froze in mid-step starring at him. In less than 15 seconds the Slytherin had jumped the remaining stair separating them up and grabbed Harry by the wrist shocked at the bandages on his arms and injuries on his face. Harry winced from the pain Draco caused on his arm and tried to flinch away only causing his injured ankle to complain painfully against the sudden movement.

"What happened?!" Draco was barely able to contain his calm and loosened his hold on the boy to move his arm around the other's waist to help him walk down. The thought that someone might see them like this didn't even come across his mind.

Harry smiled dryly. "Not here, okay?" he croaked, his voice sounding like it didn't want to obey his command.

Draco's pale eyes locked with Harry's but the blond remained quite and leaded them slowly to a nearby room. Taking a quick glance inside that it was empty and they wouldn't be disturbed, both boys entered. The Slytherin helped his cousin moved over to a seat in which he sank slowly hissing at the pain that was visible on his pale face.

Draco reached carefully to the patched area on Harry's forehead. "You look like someone had thrown you at a bunch of wolves."

"That would come close to it…"

Draco lifted his eyebrow quizzing in a way that reminded him painfully of a certain Potion Master, but Harry remained quite until Draco sighed heavily and knelt down before the other and taking his hand in his caressing the back with his thumb.

"Father told me that you were caught by … You-know-Who…"

Harry turned his face away closing his eyes holding back tears. "Yes…"

Draco took a deep breath, he wanted to rampage in fury at Harry's lack of self-preserve, at his stupidity, at his lack of normal common sense, at his irresponsibility and there were a few other things that he would gladly throw at him, but he could see that the emotional stress was still closed up in the others heart and that he would have to act very subtle to get a clear answer to his questions.

So he asked again a little calmer and raising his hand to wipe the tears from Harry's face "What happened?"

A flash of a similar motion passed trough Harry's thoughts and he flinched away from the touch gaining a questioning expression, but no more. "Harry?"

More tears came out of his eyes as he threw himself into his cousin's arms, aching for someone to understand and to protect him. Under sobs he told Draco about Tom's summon, how scared the other had been for Harry's safety, how Harry had done the spell to see if the other was telling the truth, the trace of the Imperio up to the arrival of the Death Eaters. How Tom disguised himself as Voldemort again and Harry had been trapped and finally his escape. He left out the part with Snape, he wasn't able to talk about it just yet. He had closed the mere thought of the other man off his mind for the time being until he would be able to confront it, which most likely wouldn't be anytime soon.

During all this Draco held him lovingly, like an older brother his younger sibling, motioning his hand in circling and comforting movements over Harry's back. He simply listened, not interrupting, not commenting; just assuring his cousin that he would be there if needed. And Harry was thankful, because unlike the adults, Draco didn't push the matter. He would give Harry the chance to process the events on his own accord and time. He didn't want to force the memories and fears to resurface; the only thing that he could sense from the blond was a strong aura on which he could lean for reassurance. Right now, Harry needed someone closer than friends, he needed a family, and Sirius wasn't there to help him.

Finally as he finished, Draco made him sit back on the chairs and took the boy's hands in his own once more. "Yes, I had heard rumors about the curse of those descendants to Slytherin." Draco gave him a sad smile. "In our 2nd year, I was worried you had opened the chamber and would turn out to be an heir, part of my family." He gave the last part a mocking tone.

Harry managed to smile shyly back. "No wonder you were stresses when it turned out true." He said cleaning with his sleeves the traces of tears of his face feeling better and safer than when he had left the infirmary without permission.

Draco smiled warmly standing up and pulling Harry into a hug. "If you need me, you just have to say it Harry, and I throw this whole cover aside and-"

Harry pushed back from him, holding tightly onto the other's shirt. "Don't! We don't want your father getting more suspicious about us as it is."

"But-"

Harry shook his head and leaned his face against Draco's chest taking in a deep breath. The blond saw the white knuckles as he reached up to loosen the other's hold carefully.

"Not yet, Draco… Give me some time to… get used to all this…Keep it a secret…please…"

Sighing heavily Draco laid a hand on his cousin's head ruffling lightly the black hair. "All right… but at least let me do some researches on the spells you mentioned the old man told you about." Harry looked up to him with watery green eyes that made Draco angry the moment he saw them. The pain in them was something he had never thought to see in the Gryffindor's eyes. It was the reflection of a haunted soul in a place where it no longer could find its way home. "Let me help you…" he said in a whisper not sure if the other could tell that all he really wanted was for Harry to be safe and loved.

Nodding slowly Harry let go of the other and reached into his pocket and pulled out two crumbled pieces of paper. Handing it over he took his glasses off and tried to clean his face from the tears with his sleeve again while Draco looked over the spells.

"Well… I'd have to look this over in the Restricted Section." Draco passed a hand over his face moving some lose bangs behind his ear, he had let it grown during the last year and it was starting to bother him that it fell into his face while reading. "This goes way into Dark Magic! I can't believe your parents did this to you!" He gasped awed. "I'll probably have to ask my mom for books on this… This is… is…"

"Fucked up?" Harry asked cleaning his glasses now with his shirt.

The Slytherin nodded. "And there is something else that bothers me…" Draco narrowed his eyes as he took a closer look at the scribbling at the border of the page. "This is Tom's handwriting… but Tom is usually only interested in screwing my old man's plans…This doesn't make much sense."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked putting his glasses back on and sitting carefully back on his seat trying not to make any unnecessary movements that would cause him pain. "I told you he said that he didn't want me to be forced to marry you and bear your children and also to prevent me from opening the chamber…"

"A bit late for that, but no, that's not what I mean…well, actually it is but…" The blond sighed again. "You see, Tom is really mad if you come to think of the fact that he's been under the Imperio for over 40 years and was dead some time in between. What would he gain by telling you this, if he didn't tell my father that he found out you could no longer marry me?"

"Well, it's not that I can't, I simply won't." Harry answered plainly, his voice was starting to gain a normal tone to it.

It was Draco's time to shake his head. "No, you can't… at least not anymore…I'm sure Riddle wouldn't simply let you go without making sure that you can't!" Draco's face turned away trying to come up with some reasons for Riddle's behavior from what Harry had told him, then the Slytherin's eyes widened. "Oh shit!" His face became suddenly as pale as Harry's. "I think I know why the old geezer did this…" Harry's eyes fixed at him but Draco shook his head biting down on his thumb. "I'm not entirely sure, whether I'm right with my assumptions…" With Harry's current state he couldn't tell the other that Tom might have put another spell on him to screw up Lucius's plans. No, he couldn't say such things out loud… not with out confirming them first…

"Draco!"

The blond sighed. "Look we don't have time to talk about this right now, I'm sure someone must already be out looking for you and I seriously don't want both of us getting into trouble." Running would be the best choice for now, Harry was in no state for the truth that his speculations might behold.

"Just tell me, Draco!" Harry said pushing himself to his feet forgetting for a moment that his ankle was still not fully healed. He fell almost over and his cousin caught him just in time. Harry blushed. "Thanks."

"You sure are a lot of trouble."

Harry stuck playfully his tongue out at him. "Not my fault." Suddenly his vision blurred and Harry found himself in a room filled with students sitting at their desk listening attentively to the teacher at the front. Harry pushed himself from Draco away blinking and rubbing his eyes for a moment. As he looked around again, the room was back to only them and the few dusty seats and desks.

His cousin reached out concerned. "Are you alright?"

Nodding slowly Harry answered: "Yes." _What the hell had that been?! _Taking a deep breath Harry spoke again: "Maybe you're right." He paused. "I should go before they start wondering where I wandered off to again…" The Gryffindor said absentminded, that vision or illusion or whatever it had been, was starting to freak him out a little.

"Okay…" Draco narrowed his eyes suspiciously as he watched the other leave the room. There was something Harry had not been telling him from the start. At first he had thought that it was probably nothing important but the other's odd behavior just now was proof enough that it was something Draco should go investigate further. Although his biggest concern were the unanswered questions concerning Voldemort, he needed to speak to the Dark Lord himself.

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Harry stopped on his way to the Gryffindor Tower leaning against the wall to lighten the weight on his ankle and ease the pain. At this hour everyone was either at the Great Hall or on his or her dorm. Luckily enough he had not run into anyone yet. He certainly didn't want to explain why he looked so beaten up. He closed his eyes catching his breath, he felt totally drained not only physically but also mentally. His thought wanted to drift to the night at Voldemort's but he was afraid to remember more, he was afraid of having to think of what he had done that night. Don't think, don't think, he repeated in his mind like a mantra.

"Hey!"

Harry opened his eyes surprised. A blond man was grinning down at him. He was much taller than Harry and the stranger radiated pure confidence.

"Hey!" the man said again and extended his hand. "Come, we're going to be late!" his blue eyes were friendly and you could see the smile reflecting the same comforting and cheerful feeling.

Harry flinched away instinctively from the offered hand but as he did so the image of the man vanished with it.

"Merlin, I'm going insane!" he whispered hurrying to get away from there. Fleeing somewhere where he could feel safe.

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"What do you mean he's missing?" Severus asked annoyed. "I thought you said he was in no state to leave the infirmary."

"Well, since he's no longer here, he somehow did manage to get out." Madam Pomfrey said rather stressed. "I have over a dozen students here, Severus. You certainly can't expect me to keep 24/7 an eye on him, do you?"

Severus narrowed his eyes dangerously, but he knew very well that she was right. "Tell Minerva. I'm going to look for Potter." He whirled around growling under his breath at the boy's inability to remain in one place where he was safe. He stalked down to the Great Hall in search for Potter's friends hoping to find the boy and then tell him into his place. It was starting to get annoying having to look for him all over places.

"Severus!!"

He stopped not having noticed anyone following him and looked around but found himself alone in the hallway. He shook his head, but as he was about to continue the voice called him again and this time his eyes fixed on one of the portraits on the wall.

"What is it? I'm busy." He snarled.

The woman in the picture rolled her eyes. "Well, and here I came especially to tell you that there has been a snake following you for quite some while now." She pointed at the small creature at her feet in the picture. "I think it has been trying to get your attention."

He narrowed his eyes confused as the dark slithering creature lifted its head up and hissed at him.

"And what exactly does it want?" he asked looking at the woman in the picture. "I'm not exactly a frequent in Parsel, unlike Potter." _Potter?_ Where had that thought come from?

The woman in the portrait complained about his rudeness, but he ignored her as he leaned closer inspecting the snake still hissing as though trying to tell him something. Maybe Potter had sent the snake and he was in trouble?

"Would you shut up." He growled finally at the woman who glared at him indignantly.

"I was only trying to help." She said annoyed before walking out of the picture insulted.

Severus rolled his eyes before turning to the snake. "Can you understand me? Can you bring me to Potter?"

The snake hissed back and he wasn't really sure whether it really understood him, but it slithered onto the next picture turning a moment to see if he followed before continuing. Thankfully there seemed to be enough paintings along the way which made following it easier until he reached a dark corridor without portraits the in fourth floor, which to be true he couldn't remember ever coming across. Hurrying along the seemingly endless dark corridor he ended in a dead end. He sighed and took out his wand whispering a Lumus spell and passing his hand over the surface of the wall and coming at the corner with the next wall across a minimal sign of Hogwarts. He let his finger wander over the surface while he knelt down to examine it. Pushing it, he heard a series of chains mechanism before the wall slid to the side revealing a bridge somewhere outside the castle. Taking a step outside, the wall moved back into its place.

He leaned slightly over the edge to gain a bit of orientation. He could see a long way down. He wasn't necessarily afraid of heights, but this was even for him somewhat uncomfortable. He looked up and found himself looking at a ceiling. Maybe this was a passageway. Taking a deep breath he continued on until he reached another wall. He leaned over the reeling again and saw that there seemed to be various arcs following like the one he was in at the moment. Almost as though he were in between a bridge's arcs. He turned to the wall again searching for a familiar sign like before, this time seeing it at the ground's corner. Reaching out he pushed it again and the wall opened up as before. Letting him through to the next arc. This went on five more time until he finally reached one of the Towers. The wall slid open this time and he found himself standing at the entrance of a round room with the signs of the Four houses on its walls. At the center was a circular altar. A wand and a bow floated above it protected by shields. Both were covered in Runes. He approached the center as the wall slid close again. Coming closer he was able to read names carved on the altar's stone surface. He leaned closer paying attention as to not to touch the shield. The writing was difficult to read; apparently time had taken its toll on it.

"… ave…law…" He narrowed his eyes. "Ravenclaw?" He looked up to the bow. Its dark wooden surface reminded him indeed of the dark feathers of a raven. He walked around and examined the wand closer without touching it and was not much surprised to read the inscription of Hufflepuff underneath. Somehow he had the feeling that something was missing. Continuing to move around to read the rest of the names on the surface, he came across the empty spaces of Gryffindor and Slytherin before bumping into something on the ground and falling face down over none other than Harry Potter.

Severus was about to snap at him when he noticed that the body remained unmoved and that some of the boy's smaller wounds had reopened and were soaking his bandages with blood. Sighing he got back up to his feet and kneeled down reaching with an arm underneath the dark haired boy's neck and with the other under his legs heaving him up into his arms. The boy immediately curled against his chest hanging on to him but not waking up. It was almost a reflex, which startled him. Looking around for a way back he found a staircase leading down further into the tower. Realizing that the chances to go back the way he had come from were down to 'not likely', he proceeded downstairs.

A sudden hissing sound made him turned around alarmed, but he couldn't find the source for it. Shaking his head he continued quickly but cautiously on. Had he bothered to look once down to the boy in his arms he would have surely have seen the source of the sound. There he would have seen a pair of yellow eyes starring at him curiously from underneath the Gryffindor's sleeve.

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Harry opened his eyes and cursed himself the next moment for his stupidity.

"Harry?"

He tried to open his eyes again, this time slowly and narrowing them a little, seeing a blur of hair in his vision. Where were his glasses?

"Hermione?" he asked, his throat was dry and it hurt to speak.

 "Oh, Harry!" she said. Her voice seemed to be filled with pity as she patted his hand. "What happened?" she asked softly.

"Yes, what happened? I was ready to get a fit when I saw Snape walking by with you looking like a dead corpse."

Harry turned his head slowly narrowing his eyes to gaze this time at a reddish blur, which had to be Ron.

"I…" he sighed, he wasn't really sure what had happened. Somewhere on his way to the Gryffindor dorm… his memory seemed to be lacking the information on what happened. "I don't know." He stated slowly, fear starting to rise in him again. Something was wrong with him, very, very wrong. He closed his eyes before opening them and almost screamed out in shock as his vision moved from nothing more than blur to perfection in a matter of seconds. He could see clearly without his glasses.

_Oh, god!!_

He starred at Hermione and then at Ron and at the blond man looking concerned down at him from the end of the bed. It was the same blond who had been in the corridor earlier. His breathing started to come in short and raged breathing.

"Salazar?" the blond asked concerned.

And then a shrieking scream filled the infirmary.

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Albus Dumbledore watched as Harry sat curled in a sheet in the corner of the room, rocking back and forth whispering to himself. His frightened eyes moving quickly around, alarm and panic was visible in them.

"Albus I cannot approach him without having him panicking more than he already is." Madam Pomfrey said. "And I don't dare use a spell with him in such an unstable state."

The old wizard turned to her. "And Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger didn't tell you what caused this?"

She shook her head. "They say he woke up and just looked at them before he started to scream seemingly without a reason."

"You don't suppose this is an effect of what might have happened to him while he was held by Voldemort?" he asked concerned visibly in his eyes.

She took a deep breath, ignoring that he had used the Dark Lord's name and looked over at the boy on the ground. "To be true, I don't know. " she sighed tiredly. "It might be, Albus, but I can't say for sure." A pause. "I… I also thought that maybe, considering all that has happened to him, we should send him for a few days over to St.Mungus; they are more experienced with traumas than me … "

"GO AWAY!!" Harry screamed as he waved with his arms drastically around himself as though trying to fight something off him. Tears rolled down his eyes as he backed further into the corner. "Please go away!" he pleaded sounding desperately. Putting his arms around his legs he cried there.

"Albus!" Minerva came in looking a little out of breath followed shortly by Severus. "Mr. Weasley told me you wanted us here immediately. What happened? He looked rather pale and panicked."

"This happened." He moved aside motioning with his hand towards the boy at the corner. "I thought that one of you might be able to get closer to him since he doesn't seem to want either Poppy or me approaching any closer than this." His eyes shone in the same tiredness that lurked in the medi-witch's, just that his seemed more intense and confused than hers. "I mean you're his Head of House Minerva and you Severus are a little more experienced than us in handling such cases as this one."

Minerva looked pitiful at Harry. She took a quick glance at Albus who nodded her to try her chances, so she approached slowly. "Harry, it's me, Professor McGonagall." She closed the distance between them slowly in order not to frighten him further than he already was. "Harry?"

The boy lifted his gaze slowly, his green eyes obviously scared. "Professor?" he asked weakly.

"Yes, Harry, it's me." She said as she knelt down in front of him. "I want to help you." She smiled warmly at him before reaching out with her hand to comfort him.

Suddenly he pushed her away jumping up and scramming over to hide underneath one of the beds.

"Don't touch me!!" His raged breathing came faster now than before and Madam Pomfrey was starting to fear he might over ventilate. Considering the state he was in right now, it wouldn't really be a good thing.

"We have to do something." The medi-witch declared. "He's starting to get worse and if he keeps moving about like this he will only end up reopening more of his wounds."

Minerva stood up. "Severus…" she looked meaningful at him.

The man growled annoyed. "Alright." He said lifting his arms in defense. "Not that he will have more trust in me than in his own Head of House." He said out loud moving carefully over to the bed. It was rather rare that he had to deal with such a large case of intense disorientation and panic as Potter was presenting. He had dealt with a few in the past considering the families some of his Slytherin came form, but never so farfetched as the current display Potter was giving them. Unless of course, this had to do with… He shook slightly his head to get the memory of the Gryffindor laying naked and willingly under him. He sat down across from Harry not pretending to come any closer; he just looked calmly at the boy.

Those green eyes starred at him. Fear was beaming in them so strongly that Severus was starting to feel uncomfortable under that gaze. So he stretched his hand forward, just waiting, not speaking knowing too well that sometimes words did more harm than good.

He heard the murmur of the other three behind him mix with a soft hissing sound coming from Potter's direction. It sounded almost like there was a snake with him there. Yet he didn't dare to move as not to scare the boy even more.

"Slytherin…" Harry said slowly.

Severus was startle a bit by this but did not let it show on his face. "Yes, I'm a Slytherin." He stated slowly.

And then suddenly the boy launched himself into his arms grabbing onto his robs. "Keep him away! Keep him away!!" Harry cried hiding his face against the Potion Master's chest, holding almost desperately onto him. "He won't go away!! Gryffindor he says!! Get away! Get AWAY!!!" The boy sobbed in his arms and Severus suddenly felt something lull him to put his arms around Harry and comfort him.

"It's alright, there's no one here to harm you." He said more softly than he remembered ever talking to anyone. "You're safe."

His last word seemed to have the wished effect because he felt Harry's muscle relax under his touch and sink further into the Slytherin's arms falling into a sudden state of sleep.

"Well you handled that pretty well." Madam Pomfrey's voice made Severus realize that he was till on the ground embracing none other than Harry Potter. Gathering his mind back into normality and fighting of the magic that seemed to call him back to the boy, he stood up pulling the boy with him and laid him down on the bed in front of him.

"Well, that's what you called me for. To do the job." He stated as he loosened Harry's grip off him.

"Gryffindor…" the boy spoke in his sleep and curled up as Severus let go of him. "Away… away…"

"Maybe instead of sending Mr. Potter to St.Mungus, we could let Severus treat him for a while." Pomfrey said as she approached to check the sleeping boy's pulse, knowing that what she had said to Albus earlier had not pleased the old man at all. He didn't want Harry to leave his care and the safety of Hogwarts while he still had a word to say about that.

"What?!" Severus exclaimed irritated by her and the magic that kept calling him back to Potter. "I have enough work already, and it would seem rather suspicious if I started to take care of a Gryffindor. It's wouldn't go unnoticed by anyone!"

"Poppy is right, Severus, maybe just for a while you could take care of him and-"

The Slytherin turned to the headmaster narrowing his eyes. "NO!" he said. "I did what you asked already, don't make me do this!" he snarled before making quickly his way out of the infirmary before he would loose control of himself.

"I'm starting to think we're lacking some serious communication." Minerva sighed heavily.

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Harry awoke to the shifting of his bed and a hand moving some of his hair behind his ear. Alarmed he sat up crawling away from the touch.

"Harry, it's me!"

Harry narrowed his eyes seeing once again only a blur. "Draco?"

"Hell, yes!" the Slytherin said a little stressed. "What is going on with you? First I see Snape carrying you half dead and than you freak out like… like this." He pointed at the new bandages at Harry's arm.

The Gryffindor closed his eyes and he felt Draco move closer. He tensed at it, and it must have been visibly because as he opened his eyes he could see Draco's expression change into a hurt one, even if it was somewhat unclear to make out in the dark.

"I'm sorry…" tears were staring to form in his eyes. "I don't know what's going on with me." The loss of control was gnawing on him tremendously. "I feel like I'm freaking out." He finally declared starring down at his trembling hands. "I'm seeing people and things that shouldn't be there and … and…" tears rolled out of the corner of his eyes and this time he did not bother to stop the other from giving him a comforting embrace.

"It's alright, Harry. I'm here to help you. Shh…"

Two weeks had passed since then and Harry was far away from scared now, he was frustrated and depressed but most of all annoyed by the fact that his hallucinations didn't stop from hammering onto him. Although the blond man that had scared the wits out of him back in the infirmary didn't reappear. He didn't know whether that was good or not.

"Mr. Potter!"

Harry looked startled at Professor Sprout.

"Well, Mr. Potter, since you seem to be busy with your thoughts somewhere else and can't answer the question about the uses of the Soil of Persaveous, I will take 5 points from Gryffindor for inattentiveness and 5 more for your seemingly increasing disinterests in participating in this class." The Professor said looking displeased at him.

"Persaveous is simply a plant for the use of Shrinking Potions as long as its used as powder otherwise it is useless for Potions. Unless, of course, you bread it in dark places which will cause for it to grow poisonous Also it has the tendency to lure its prey like a flower before trapping it in it's glue like liquid, which it also only produces under extreme darkness and humidity. Once trapped, the liquid dissolves the prey by causing a chemical reaction on the skin, which peals painfully off. That alone does not always kill the enemy, which is why during the Dark Ages it was used as torture device by Dark Wizards." Harry replied frustrated.

Professor Sprout starred at him for a moment. "Well, I seem I was a little quick in my assumptions. I will return Gryffindor it's 10 points and give you another 10 for your correct answer."

Harry smiled weakly, before leaning back into his seat. The answer had come to him although he had no idea what he had been talking about. It was as though the information was simply inside his head to access like some lexicon. He seriously hoped this had nothing to do with what Tom Riddle had warned him about.

"I am starting to think that she's taking the gardening too seriously, does thou not think the same?"

Harry looked startled at the tall woman next to him.

"Are thou all right? Thou seem pale…" she reached out to touch his forehead.

Harry jumped alarmed up from his seat stepping away.

"Mr. Potter, is something wrong?"

He turned confused to Professor Sprout and then back to the empty space next to him.

"I… I think I… I need to go to the infirmary… I suddenly don't feel very well." He said before gathering his things together and running out of the classroom like he was being pursued again by Death Eaters.

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Draco found Harry an hour later sitting by the lake. His gaze once again fearful and depressed, as he seemed to be in the last days…

"Did you see a ghost again?" he asked not sitting down next to his cousin in case someone came by and saw them.

"You know, I've heard a song once in the radio that started 'You only see what your eyes want to see'…" Harry looked up. "I really wish that were the case with me. This whole matter is starting to make me think I'm nuts…"

"I talked with Riddle, he said that those might be signs to… the curse…" Draco looked with his pale eyes down at the other. "You know what that means."

A simple nod was the answer.

"Your magical power will start decreasing soon, if that's the case." Draco's voice sounded empty of emotions, he had seriously no idea how to handle the current situation with his cousin.

Harry looked down at his hands, closing them slowly into fist. "I'm going crazy." He started slowly. "I can't concentrate on anything and whenever I have a moment of free time I can only think of this curse." He hugged himself shivering but not from the cold. "I'm scared Draco…" he whispered loud enough for the other to hear. "So very scared…" a suppressed sob escaped him. "I don't know what to do anymore. Sometimes I think that maybe it might be better if I ran up to your father and ask him to rid me and him of myself."

Draco dropped to his knees grabbing Harry by his shoulders and shaking him to look at him. "Don't you dare ever say such a thing again, let alone think it!!"

Harry's lips formed weakly to a little smile. "It was just a thought, not something I would seriously do, especially when my godfather is coming tomorrow."

Draco let out a relief breath. "Damn it, Potter, don't do thing like that to my poor heart!" letting go of him, but not bothering to stand up he continued to speak. "But listen, Harry, if you need to occupy your mind with something maybe you'd like to take with me the NEWTs."

Harry raised an eyebrow up. "You know that those aren't due until next year."

Draco shrugged. "Father talked to the Minister of Education and they agreed to let me take the exams during the course of this year." His expression darkened. "Apparently my father has something planned for the start of next year and doesn't want me to continue assisting to Hogwarts. I could ask for you to get the same permission."

Harry narrowed his eyes at him. "You're going to ask your father to ask the Minister of Education to let me graduate a year earlier?"

"No." he sighed frustrated, sometimes Harry was just too damned Gryffindor. "I'm going to blackmail him." The Slytherin grinned. "After all what kind of image would he get if he didn't allow the Boy-Who-Lived the same privileges a Malfoy can get." He chuckled amused and lighten the mood between them again. "Imagine the title it would have on the Daily Prophet: Our Savior, Voldemort's arc enemy, Boy-Who–Lived is not allowed to graduate, but Death Eater son is."  Draco laughed. "Don't you think that would make a beautiful headline."

Harry laughed with him, letting his mind forget why he had been so confused in the first place. "Okay, do your Slytherin thing so I might get rid of having too much free time to wallow in self-pity and I can get finally some descend sleep."

--------------------°-------------------

The strings pull at my arms and legs as I try to move, but my only success is to make them move tighter around me. I cannot hide away, I'm scared off the things my mind knows and has seen, because deep inside I am aware that those are not my thoughts… not my memories.

And the more I struggle to find release of this nightmare, the more the figure in front of me becomes visible to my eyes. I can see him trying to find release of his own chains, which hold him trapped, while at the same time he holds the strings that are attached to me.

My puppeteer…

His green eyes flare with defiance and I can only try to scream for help. But to no success...

He grins amused watching my efforts.

He opens his mouth and all I hear are hissing sound escaping his lips and waving forward to embrace me. They touch me almost intimately and I realize in frustration that every soft hiss I hear pulls gently at my magic. And it answers him, rising from my skin pulsing forward to meet him…

I have no control…

Not anymore…

Not… much at least…

----------------------------------------

**TBC in Chapter 08**

----------------------------------------


	2. Chapter 02

------------------------ Chapter 8 

-----------------------

The letter was short and straight to the point. Sirius wouldn't come. Not with Death Eaters following him and Remus to every part of England they could flee to. They weren't save to remain in one place and the Order of the Phoenix could not provide them with a secure hideout that was not Hogwarts itself. And Sirius, as much as Remus, had refused it explaining that they could take care of themselves.

Harry was heart broken by the news. Now more than ever he had wanted Sirius to be close to him and help him. Things had started to get out of Harry's hands and he would really appreciate a little guidance from an adult that was part of his family and did no want him dead.

Yet Harry was aware that telling Sirius of his current problems was not a very bright idea. It would be nothing more than a selfish and childish behavior by making the other worry for something that he couldn't change anyway and in the worst case, he could lead his godfather into trouble by asking him to come here.

So in the end he had to handle it all by himself.

He glanced up to the window in the library watching the dark cloud come closer. Soon it would rain.

Ron asked him something and Harry answered mechanically not bothering to turn around until a hand reached out for his arm and he reflexively slapped it away. Starring wide eyes at his friend for a moment Harry starred ashamed away apologizing before gathering his things together and fleeing the closeness of all these people around him.

Lately it had been suffocating. All these students, all this noise… Everything gave him a headache, everything stirred a nerve and he sometimes could react rather uncharacteristically. He could only thank Draco for getting him out of a few very distraught situations to which he otherwise would have had to come up with a really annoying and complicated explanation.

Another thing that was nagging on him was, that Draco had gone two days ago to see Voldemort and the Slytherin had not said a word about their conversation since then. Harry wasn't entirely sure whether he hoped that Riddle had told his cousin everything or, if it would be better of with Draco not knowing all the details of his encounter with the Dark Lord and Snape. The Slytherin could be very irritated when it came to thing that involved his father and so Harry wasn't very keen on finding out what he would think if he was told that his father had caused a chain reaction by interfering in Tom's betrayal towards him, that had finally caused Harry to get, roughly said: 'laid'. So he really hoped that latter had not yet occurred.

Nonetheless, Harry had been unable to sit still unknowing and had send off a letter with Draco's owl asking Riddle about the context of his conversation with the blond. Needless to say was that the waiting was straining his already nagging nerves.

Harry came to a halt as he realized that he had drifted from his course to his dorm and had ended up going down to the dungeon without realizing it. Sighing he turned around, but bumped into a taller figure. Loosing balance he stumbled back and let his book and scrolls fall to the ground. He would surely have followed hadn't he been caught by his arm.

"What are you doing down here?"

The hand on Harry's arm loosened and he looked thankfully at Draco. "Would you believe it if I told you I don't know?"

Draco shrugged tugging his hands in his pockets. "Considering everything…" he paused looking meaningfully at his cousin. " Yes…" His eyes scanned quickly the area they were in before he proceeded leaving Harry standing were he was.

"Malfoy!"

Draco turned his head back, his darker rings under his eyes showed the lack of sleep he must have had the last days.

"What did he tell you?" Harry asked trying hard to remain calm and focused.

The pale eyes looked at him for a long time before speaking up again. "I would rather like to know what _you_ didn't tell me."

Harry looked away ashamed pushing with his hand his hair back before kneeling down to the ground and gathering his things. "Nothing you need to worry about…"

In a few quick steps Draco was next to him and pulled him up by his cloak and pushed him against the wall. "Damn it, _Harry_!" he hissed his name furiously and Harry knew how serious Draco was about this. "If you don't talk I can't help. If you don't trust me a little, then why do we bother with this whole façade? I hate being misled! And you know why? Because my father is a freaking bastard who doesn't trust even himself! And I have lived my whole life trying to decipher people's behavior. I'm tiered of that! I don't understand what's going on, or what I am not being told, but it's clear to me that Riddle did something else to you that you aren't telling me." The grip on Harry's clothing tightened. "I'm not stupid and nor is he. If he let you return then only because you are of no further value to my father to give the House of Slytherin an heir, you being the last _female_ pureblood that is not already bound by the Curse to her partner." He pulled Harry closer to him and for a moment he was afraid of this boy that up until now had supported him greatly. "_What_ did you not tell me?!"

"Malfoy! Potter!!"

Both their heads turned alarmed to the source of the voice and Draco immediately let go of Harry as he recognized Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape standing at the end of the corridor.

"Now you've got in trouble." Harry murmured, realizing the next moment that this would lead to another long chat later, which he didn't want to have.

"What's the meaning of this?" Professor McGonagall asked eying them with narrowed eyes suspiciously.

Harry sighed mentally and he saw Draco roll his eyes in annoyance next to him.

"We were just having a little conversation, Professor." Draco growled.

"That certainly didn't look like a simply conversation, Mr. Malfoy!" she said back to him.

"Minerva!" Snape interrupted her from continuing. "I think we should let them both give us a very long explanation _without_ interrupting them."

"Malfoy is saying the truth, Professor." Harry said avoiding Snape's eyes and focusing entirely on his Head of House. We were just having a little _divergence d'opinion._"

"You know French?" Draco turned surprised to him.

"…" Harry blinked at him. "Err… Well… Yes, I started learning it a while back…" He gave Draco a meaningful look to drop the matter.

"Right…" Draco said before turning to the two professors. "Well, since I cleared my problem with Potter already, I will be leaving."

Harry nodded quickly in agreement. "Yes, me too." And both hurried out of sight.

Minerva turned to Severus with a glare. "I insist that this school lacks some serious conversations! And you and your House are the source of all this!!"

Severus rolled his eyes imitating Draco's earlier action. "I will be in my office if there are any _serious_ matters you need to discuss with me."

"Why is it that no one listens to me?" she sighed.

------------------------------------

The days passed and Harry's life returned almost back to normal. Riddle had finally answered his letter assuring that he had not told Draco more than he had already known from the start. Draco had calmed down and stopped inquiring more about the night at Voldemort's, but insisted on keeping his research on the spell his parent's had put on him. It appeared that Riddle had talked to him and diminished some of Draco's worries, although Harry wasn't sure about the details of their conversation.

Also the blond had done as promised and had indeed blackmailed the Minister of Education threatening the man of the consequences it would have if he let it out into public let alone told Lucius Malfoy of what his son was doing. Knowing far too well the influences that the Malfoy family had, the man had willingly agreed, as long as Draco and Harry could prove grades above the average. In other words they had a lot of studying to do trying to get two years worth of information into their heads in only eight month.

After the seventh nightly study session with his cousin Harry was starting to appreciate the uncommon knowledge that dwelled inside his head.

"No, Draco, they didn't storm Versailles! " Harry sighed frustrated as Draco tried to summarize the events of the French Revolution at 1 am out loud. "It was the Bastille."

The Slytherin pulled annoyed at his hair letting his head rest on the countless open books spread all over the table. They were currently in one of the empty rooms they had found with help of the Marauder's Map. "I can't anymore! I don't know how you can memorize all this stuff just like nothing."

Harry laughed bitterly. "It's not like I could help it to pop up to me as though I had already studied it and was only freshen up my memory now."

Draco glared at him. "It's unfair I have to put so much work into it and you don't. I mean we still have to go over so much and I can't seem to see any end coming. Besides next Hogsmead weekend will be having our first History exam. Maybe I should go down into the Chamber as well."

Harry glared at him. "Don't joke around like that! You know what would happen to you. It's already bad enough that I have hallucinations and this nutty knowledge. I can assure you, loosing yourself completely to another wizard cannot be amusing!"

"Touchy, aren't we." Draco commented as he leaned back and gave him a smug smile.

Harry rolled his eye. "Tired would be the word I would have chosen. We have been up this whole week till late and I can only marble our resistance as not to fall asleep, especially in History of Magic."

Draco grinned. "Ever heard of disguising charms, Potter?"

A gapping mouth was the reply he got before Harry gathered his wits again. "The snoring was you?!"

Laughter filled the room. "I can't believe you didn't come up with something as easy like that."

Pouting Harry stuck his tongue out at him. "It's not like Ron wouldn't notice when I sit next to him."

"Gryffindors! Problems you have." Draco said yawning. "Smack Weasel and he'll keep quiet."

Harry gave him a look of disprovable, which Draco dismissed by waving with a hand at him and standing up. "Let's stop for tonight and go to bed. Tomorrow might be Saturday, but I still intend to sleep more than usually."

Harry nodded while gathering his Invisibility cloak and getting up to join Draco at the door and letting his cousin hide underneath as well.

"Rising sun." Draco spoke and it took a moment before the statue reacted at his word. They knew that it's other half on the other side of the door send out a slight magic wave checking for anyone outside the room. Once the statue above the door raised its head from the door, they stepped outside into the dark corridors of Hogwarts while the door closed silently after them. It was clear that there was no one close by to bother them.

"Dwelling sunset." Harry spoke to the door and they heard the clicking of the locks and protective statue behind the door moving back into place.

"I'll take you down to the dungeon." Harry said as he tugged the map out of his sleeve.

"So very grateful for your generosity, my dear cousin." Draco yawned as they headed quickly down to the dungeons.

------------------------------------

Severus knew there was something wrong. The annoying gnawing sensation of irritation that accompanied his usual sixth sense for trouble, had been drilling violently inside his head for weeks now and he was starting to feel unpleasantly disturbed by its presence. He couldn't pinpoint was it was trying to tell him, all he was sure of, was that every time that Harry Potter passed the doorway into his classroom, the irritation would turn into a headache almost screaming to him that it was that boy who had some connection to what exactly was going on.

He remembered the way the boy had felt as he had launched himself into his arms in the infirmary as though he was holding on for his dear life onto Severus, expecting to hold him from falling away into some bitter and lonely darkness that had him in such a state of mind that he felt threatened by everybody but somehow not by his dreaded Potion Master. This thought always lead him then to they night in Voldemort's mansion. Back then he had also felt called and pulled towards the boy by some unknown magic. It was frustrating to admit, but true. Every time he just stepped closer to Harry Potter, his senses felt numbed and he could feel the tugging of the boy's magic lulling him forward to hold the child. It was unnerving him and the force of self-control he had to put up to fight back was tremendous that he feared getting any closer than necessary. Short, he was avoiding Potter as much as the boy was obviously avoiding him.

This little fact had crept upon him as Potter started to attend classes normally again. The boy made no sound of protest or allowed himself to be taunted by any other than Draco Malfoy in his presence. He didn't look at his teacher when spoken to, and the few times Severus had gotten over his own fear of losing his self-control and had asked the boy to stay behind to have a word, his friends and curiously sometimes even Malfoy would be lurking around making sure he wasn't alone with anyone. Otherwise the boy hushed so fast out of the classroom that one might think he was being pursued by a Dementor, if not worse. To top it all, he couldn't give the boy any kind of detention to have at least a short talk about what had happened back then in the infirmary and at the mansion. Pomfrey had convinced Albus to let the young Gryffindor adjust by his own measure back into his normal life without troubling him with detention. Delicacy had been asked of him and Severus wasn't sure whether he was glad to have an excuse to delay the conversation and lighten the tension that obviously lay between the two of them.

From what he had heard from the headmaster, Potter had only told them part of the story, just about the summoning and his oh-so-lucky-escape. More worried about his state of mind, Madam Pomfrey had also advised to not push the matter further than necessary and that such was the best for the boy right now.

All that did not help for Severus not to notice the dark rings under the boy's eyes that were starting to get more and more visible to him, even if Potter tried hard to disguise them under spells. Severus was used to some of his Slytherin behaving like this, but it was rather unusual for a Gryffindor to display a patter of behavior he was only used to see in the other houses but that of Minerva. She usually had everything that concerned her student very good under control and they had trust in her advices and the help she would willingly give them. She was very protective of her students. Which made Potter's case more interesting and unwilling to leave his mind.

Then there were also the rumors that he had started to hear from the other students. The talking about Potter looking sometimes completely out of place and then coming up with answers that simply shouldn't come out of a boy of his age. Flitwick had even said that if he didn't know better, Potter was starting to lack magic potential when performing spells in class but otherwise when it came to analyses or homework as well as explanations on certain subjects, he was showing more potential than Granger. Also, he had encountered the boy more often in the library than he remember ever seeing him in the last years. Rationally thinking, the behavior he was showing was normal considering what the boy had gone through. He was trying to keep his mind occupied in order for him not to think of his problems. That alone was a problem itself; because Potter couldn't very well keep evading the truth more than Severus could stop being his usual cold and annoying self.

Least but not last, there was the matter with Malfoy. Severus had seen him and Potter more often together than the two were probably aware of and seeing them interact out of his hiding, he was sure there was more than just rivalry between them as well as the hate they displayed in public. Although the encounter he and Minerva had witnessed a few days ago in the hallway countered part of his analysis. Still in Severus' impression, there seemed to be a truce, as not to call it friendship, between the two boys. Draco was acting almost protective when the other Slytherins were onto the Gryffindor. He would intervene pretending to get into the fight and then he and Potter would make up a show of insults threatening each other with their wands until a prefect or another teacher came by to separate them.

Now that the two also sat together in class, Severus had even more chances to get a closer look at their behavior, although he was strictly against getting anymore involved with Potter's problems than necessary. He had told the headmaster strictly to keep the business of his Golden Boy away from the Potion Master as far as possible. But when it came to a Malfoy getting their hands into something as delicate as Dumbledore's plans, Severus was forced to admit that he had to figure out what exactly was going on and how much he really knew of the situation. One thing was sure though, Severus knew more than Albus was aware off…

------------------------------------

He was sitting under the hot water of the shower, with his arms around his legs, his head resting on his knees. His skin had already turned red from the heat, but this was the only way he would end up feeling refreshed and clean. The prickling sensation on his body allowed his muscles to relax and for a short moment he could think without fearing someone to see him this vulnerable.

For a moment he was back to being just Harry Potter, a boy with seriously too much problems compared to other teenagers his age. For a moment the thought, that his friends might wonder where he was off to again, crossed his mind, but the heat and steam around him dulled it away as quickly as it had popped up. Right now he didn't care if he would see them ever again, he was sick of hearing the murmurs behind his back, the whispering of grudges and rumors that cruised around the school.

He leaned his head back; eyes closed and let the water plash his face. Christmas season was approaching and Sirius had still not made it as he had promised Harry in another of his letter. He was still somewhere out there hiding from Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Another reason to be annoyed; his godfather was ignoring him, other people used him and he was mentally more bruised now than ever in the past. The images that came to his mind were getting more and more, his powers were almost non-existent, and at nights there were only nightmares that trapped his body immobile. He would awake sweating from the sheer strength and violent intend of somehow ordering his body to return him into consciousness.

They were all wrong with their talk about him being a little more than paranoid and sensible at the time being. His friends tried to reason with him, but in his eyes he was only seeing immature children fooling around, even Draco was sometimes more than he wanted to handle. But that might have more to do with the fact that Draco was painfully reminding him more and more of the man in his hallucinations. He would insult the Slytherin loosing his temper easily, and then the next instant Harry would be apologizing, because he knew that's just not what friends are for. He couldn't simply let his bad mood out on anyone that crossed his path.

He had to move on out of this stage of imprisonment. He understood clearly now how Tom Riddle must feel trapped by his weaknesses under Lucius Malfoy's control the same way Harry was under the Curse's.

Salazar's heirs are known by their abilities. Even if you hadn't opened the Chamber yourself, it would have recognized you as possible heir. You must figure out what knowledge, power or trace it left on you.

Tom's voice echoed in his mind as he replayed the memory. Well, he had felt no particular difference back then, no super-knowledge, no power, no mark…

It might be triggered by something. I don't know, but be careful for when it happens…

Harry lowered his head and stretched his right arm to look at it. There was the pale shade of a snake form on his lower arm and wrist.

_If you happen to be his full reincarnation, he might sooner or later take over your mind._

He smiled a rather insane, sad smile. That explained so much and yet not enough... The people who weren't really there but that he still could see, things he simply knew he shouldn't know, the reason for when he entered some rooms they looked different for a second… But that did not explain the magic pull he felt toward Snape ever since he had returned from the mansion…

You cannot allow Salazar to take over!!

Like he knew how to do otherwise…

The snake on his wrist moved. Harry's face tightened painfully, it was though it was trying to rip his skin, trying to shape it off.

"Can't you tell me how I'll know?"

_"I don't know, maybe your behavior will start changing or you start talking in odd ways with the old accent…"_

 And he had done that various times, catching not only Hermione's curiosity.

"Can't that be stopped?"

_"The only thing that might do so would probably be in the chamber itself."_

_"Great! Like I care to absorb an old spirit in my mind!!"_

Harry sighed. Seemed like he had no choice, but find the Chamber again and reopen it…

------------------------------------

Draco glanced out of the window into the dark and rainy clouds outside as he sat at the library trying to get the some Animagus and Transmutation dates into his head, but to no avail. The reason for it was pretty simple and consisted of a name. Tom Riddle, to be more exact.

Ever since he had talked again to the Dark Lord a few days ago, informing him of Harry's current state of behavior as well as to ask for some kind of advices to help his cousin cope with the lack of magic and apparent hormonal disorder, Draco couldn't find a way to focus his thoughts, he knew for sure that both Harry and Tom were hiding something from him, but at the current moment it didn't seem of more importance than stopping Harry from bursting into anger without as much of a reason every now and then. The trigger didn't even have to be something big and Harry would sometimes even react violently. He recalled too well Goyle ending up with a broken nose a week ago.

What bothered him above all were Tom words. The only help they could probably get would be in the Chamber of Secrets. Draco was not suicidal but he was aware that a certain Gryffindor didn't seem to have any problems with the idea recently.

He passed his hand over the cold surface of the glass window concentrating on the sound of the rain against it. It was as though he could feel it against his own skin. Almost feel it… there was just a small barrier between him and the water outside.

He shook his head trying to focus back on his studies. He and Harry might have passed two exams already, but there were still plenty to come and the Minister of Education was expecting them to achieve excellent results in all the subjects they needed to graduate. The pressure was there and he could feel it pressing him sometimes down so hard that he didn't even know why he was even bothering doing his father's bidding. It might simply be the fact to prove himself in the eyes of the older man, but he also felt the nagging annoyance of a child wanting to go against his parent. Those two sides of him stood in constant conflict, which is why he had bothered to help Harry and Tom out in the first place. He wanted to piss off his father, knowing better than probably anyone else what the consequences would be. A soft laugh escaped his lips. No, he was wrong assuming he knew his father's quirks; those were more in Tom's expertise.

He reached into the pocket of his pants and pulled out a folded paper, reading once again the spell that the Potters had performed on Harry. He still had much difficulties finding out much about the source and counters of the spell. Although Harry had assured that Tom had very well been able to cast the spell, neither he nor Draco dared to use it again, especially not with Harry in such a vulnerable state of power.

What Draco needed now was more time. More time to think, to research, to study and above all to find out the secret that Harry and Tom beheld. It must be of importance somehow, because lately Harry was evading the point of revealing it in such a sly way that Draco had to wonder whether it was really his cousin manipulating their conversations or … or… or the Slytherin within.

He let his thoughts wander for a moment back to his studies only ending up wondering what to do about Harry's obvious rising fear and frustration about his hallucinations. He knew that he was reminding Harry of something that he had seen. His cousin's reactions to him were obvious on that, but at the same time he could sense the inner struggle the other beheld to not let Draco see how much in pain and confusion he indeed was in.

"The fear inside, it tries to surface and consume my very soul." Harry had once said after he had gotten over an intense hallucination that had lasted over an hour during one of their study lessons. The Gryffindor had been completely unaware of his surroundings and Draco himself had felt a little panicked at the display before him. But most of all, he been scared of the empty and glassy look in the other boys eyes as they caught sight and somehow recognition of him before Harry had collapsed trembling out of his seat and into Draco's arms.

"Do you need that book much longer, Malfoy?"

Draco turned startled to his cousin looking rather displeased having to direct a word to him. Draco sighed mentally but put on his known cold smile. "Why, Potter, I didn't know you knew, let alone, had ever seen a book in your life. How did you find your way here? Did you get lost in the lower parts of the castle?"

The students sitting nearby suppressed their laughter as they turned with interest to watch the scene.

Harry crossed his arms rolling his eyes. "I'm in no mood to fight you, Malfoy, so I will ignore the fact that someone bothered to familiarize you with our common speech and language in order for you to communicate your lousing and uninteresting opinion." Harry smirked at him. "And since the book your holding is the only exemplar in the library, I just wanted to know whether you would dignify yourself into not monopolizing it, so that the rest of the student body might use it as well and we can go on with our studies without having to fancy your drooling looks towards a piece of literature."

Draco just starred at him. Had Harry just talked back to him in a snape-ish sort of way? It took a moment for him to gather his thought back together and realize that Harry had probably not meant it they way it had sounded.

"Potter, if there is one who's drooling, it would be you. Your whole manner is just screaming at us that either you're bedding a Slytherin or you just decided to change sides." He closed the book calmly and lay it on the table, before getting up from his seat and leaving, barely seeing Harry's shocked impression. Had he gone too far? No, he had only returned the argument as they usually did, but somehow the way the other students were looking at him as he passed and the look on Harry's face a few moments earlier, told him that maybe, just maybe, he might have overdone it.

------------------------°-----------------------

_You are wrong…_

The man is starting to have a voice now, I can hear its almost inaudible sound resonating in my ears as the air that fills my lungs is getting harder and harder to control.

_You are so wrong…_

I still struggle against this imprisonment, but the thin strings that once held me are getting thicker and thicker, almost like they were alive. Hissing sounds beneath the surface of a rising darkness.

I'm sick of this; I want it over with because fear has consumed my being even when I do not sleep. I cannot control this much longer. I've got to admit that maybe I have reached a stage where it's time to move on.

Yet I plea inside: Don't make me loose my grip on everything I've known all along…

_For me you are so wrong…_

I'm scared now…I'm scared as hell that he'll figure me out and all I can think is that I want to shout… Shout at the top off my lungs. But if someone hears me they'll come rushing in …

Questions are more fearful than resisting after all…

----------------------

**TBC in Chapter 09**

----------------------


	3. Chapter 03

---------------------------------

Chapter 9 

---------------------------------

Harry sat quietly in class evading as usual the Potion Master's eyes. When spoken to he would answer, but otherwise nothing more had happened between them. Ever since detentions had been an option for the teachers to get a hold of him again and maybe have a talk about his current behavior, they had been pretty generous giving them to him. Yet that only lasted short, once they realized that no matter how far they pushed, he would resist their questioning or simply evade it until his time was over and he was allowed to leave. The only one who had surprisingly not searched this obvious vain intent to get through to him was Snape. The Gryffindor appreciated it to some point, but he also longed to have the other close. It was confusing. He didn't know whether he was starting to sense a connection between them because of the curse, or maybe due to Harry's own feelings.

The memory of the two of them together was somewhat fuzzed up in his head now, clear was only that he had enjoyed it.

Snape moved by to check on Draco's and his work. The man took a quick glance inside before nodding at Draco and proceeding on. Harry relaxed back in his seat, his body feeling somewhat sedated by the need to get a hold of the older man as soon as possible. His mind, though, was pretty much kicking him not to do anything that would not only make him look like a fool, but would let his cousin realize in a matter of seconds what Harry was desperately trying to refrain from telling him. Draco was no idiot as not to realize that the curse was being pushed further on the more time he spent with Snape. Once the Slytherin would know this, he would drag Harry to the other end of the world and lock him up where neither Dumbledore nor Lucius could ever find him. Conflict to this was the fact that Harry somehow needed this closeness even if it was only during class and was harming him at the same time.

It didn't matter to him if he talked to Snape or not, it wasn't really necessary for him to know what the other thought of him, he did have a pretty good idea on that. Which made the attraction to the other even more intense, because for a second time in his life, he had come across someone who told him the blank truth in his face not meaning true harm or good to him. In Snape's eyes he might be the insufferable Gryffindor, but that also stated that he was not special, just Harry. Deep inside Harry knew that Severus Snape no longer saw him as the image of his father, realizations probably coming from the moment he had felt those lips respond to his. Had Snape seen him as James, Harry would never had the chance to get even that close to the Potion Master.

Curiosity… Yes, it triggered Harry's curiosity to know whether his assumptions were right, but he could wait, he was happy with jus being another one in the crowed for Snape. For now that would be enough, he had other things of more importance to worry about.

He let his eyes wander over his right arm as he felt the pain of the snake moving under the skin. Closing his fist in order to control himself, Harry tried to focus his mind back on class, but to no avail. He lowered his eyelids sensing a presence invading him from within. Harry struggled for a moment to keep the magic from taking over, then the presence left and he was washed over by a soothing sensation of victory, even if it was just for now.

Somehow the idea of reentering the Chamber of Secrets was getting less and less friendlier to him… yet his variety of choices for a solution to this were narrowing down on him.

 ------------------------------------

"Draco…"

The blond took the hood of and sat on the window seat by the fireplace. "Yeah?"

Tom Riddle turned to him looking pale and exhausted. "How's Potter doing?"

A sigh escaped the younger one's lips. "Not good, he's still is having those visions or hallucinations, whatever they are. His magic is almost down to nothing and lately he has started to complain about feeling nauseated from time to time. Which I find rather strange since his appetite seems to have doubled." His pale eyes locked with the dark one of the other's. "I have come to think that maybe he's eating and making himself throw up again, but I haven't been able to confirm this."

Tom nodded settling down on the carpet on the ground as his snake curled up next to him. "I see…"

Draco narrowed his eyes watching the other turn his eyes to the flickering flames in the fireplace. In moments like this he was sure that Riddle was not telling him something important. And to top it he was almost sure it was the same thing Harry was obviously hiding from him.

"Have you tried removing the spell again?" Tom finally spoke after a while.

Draco shook his head.

Tom sighed. "You might start getting an answer to some of your questions if you do so…" He paused obviously thinking whether it would be wise to confine more into the younger Slytherin. "I have a suspicion on what is going on with Potter…"

The blond raised an eyebrow curiously. "Mind sharing with me?"

A hiss from the snake turned Tom's attention from Draco. It lifted its upper body up to be in eye contact. Draco watched the two talk in Parsel for a while and it almost appeared as though the snake was by the end of the conversation chuckling. Latter didn't seem to have gone well with the 'Dark Lord' because he glared menacingly at her, but she snuggled back into something similar to a knot on the ground.

Draco stood up and walked over to them sitting down in front of the Tom Riddle. "Listen, Riddle, I'm helping you out of my own will, but if you don't confine in me, we might as well stop our truce here. I don't like being played about, for that I have my father already. You either tell me, or you can forget my help further in this matter." His eyes told that he was not joking. He was serious when it came to his cousin. He had no idea where this sudden need to protect the other from harm came from, but it didn't matter at the moment either. "Well?"

Red eye closed from him and Tom let out a deep breath. "Fine." He said. "I'll tell you what little I can…"

Draco turned his head to the side waiting.

"What do you know about the bonding of those of our family?"

A little startled but not completely take by surprise Draco replied out of reflex. "Those of our Blood will be one, and only one will share with us. To protect and conserve the line of our Blood… Such is our goal… My life so pure, in exchange of power so clean that others will hide in thy shadow…Thus one for me and one for you; this bond ascertains our hearts and bodies to loyalty and faith in one… Pure be our Blood; pure be our Children, pure those who will follow our word… Thus is our path… Thus will bring us peace and conquer our trust in destiny…"

Tom watched as Draco's expression changed into one of confusion. "You recited those words pretty well…"

"Ye…Yes… I did…" He passed a hand over his face. "I didn't think I still knew that… I mean, my mother taught it to me when I was little. She always said that those words spoke of one that would be with me to bond in the future. She practically drilled them into me…"

Tom smiled weakly. "It was certainly easier than having it hammer your conscience and controlling your body to search for this 'One' that Salazar Slytherin speaks off."

"Are you saying that Harry's behavior is due to the curse and that it searches for one to bond with him and continue the line of Slytherin?"

"More or less…" Tom replied tiredly. "Which is why it is necessary for you to lift the spell and see what its effect have been so far on Potter's real body. Then you can measure the damage or good it has done to him…" he smiled sadly. "Her…" he corrected himself.

Draco paled. "Merlin! …"

 ------------------------------------

Harry was waiting for Hermione to get out of class while he sat by the stairs that lead to the fourth floor, while letting the fact that there was someone sitting next to him that shouldn't be there pass calmly through his mind. It was a woman with dark hair and her features were warm and gentle. She had the mother type features he knew from Ron's mom, but there was sadness in them, which Harry knew far too well. He remembered seeing it often enough in his own face when he glanced lately at his reflection.

"Free as the wind in this broken land." She said slowly extending her hands in front of her as though she was reaching out for something. "Thou shall remember that, for dark is the age in which we live. Dark and unfaithful to sons and daughters of magic blood as ours. For that reason, thou and I will always be hunted and they will live in quite peace made by our efforts." She turned to him. "Do not anger thyself over a mere Gryffindor, Salazar. Thou must prove to be the stronger in the end for both of us. Now that thou will leave and I will remain here unable to join you on your journey, I will ask of thee to remember my words. I am ill and the sickness is growing within. Thou cannot help me anymore, but if thee still insists to leave in search of a cure, then I will wait as long as I am allowed." She leaned forward to Harry resting her head against his shoulder. "I care for thee, Salazar. Care greatly and it pains me to see the suffering in thy eyes."

She reached out with her hand turning slightly his face to look at her. The touch was gently but Harry could feel no warmth, no reality in it. I was nothing but an illusion that his mind was replaying for him. An echo of a memory that was not his own, the same echo, which forced the small name out of Harry's lips. "Rowena…" And even though Harry was aware that it was not him replying, he could feel the aching in his chest as she vanished again from his sight and he found himself alone once more.

 ------------------------------------

"Are you listening to me, Harry?" Draco glanced annoyed at his cousin looking out of the window into the dark night. "Riddle said we should consider lifting the spell to see what's going on with you." There was no reply. "Harry?" Draco got up from his seat. "Hey, me talking to Harry Potter!" He waved his hand in front of the other's face. "Hello, someone there?"

Harry blinked and turned to him rolling his eyes. "What is it, Godric? I'm in no mood to argue with you!"

Draco blinked a few times. "Godric?… I'm Draco." He laid his hands on Harry's shoulder as the green eyes focused on him and started to shine in recognition. Harry shook his head trying to clear his thought and reached out with a trembling hand for Draco.

"Draco…" his cousin said weakly. "It's getting worse…".

The blond sighed. "Try to focus on something that is unique to you and not of Slytherin." He tried to advice but then suddenly Harry turned to the side throwing up various times. Draco held him, gently making circling motions with his hand over Harry's back.

The sickening feeling was not leaving and all Harry could do was cry for his own imprisonment by the curse that was getting worse with each day that passed. The skin on his arm was parting and the snake was already trying to free itself from his flesh, it tore painfully at it as it slithered for freedom. Harry yelped as the pain mixed with nausea that was already plaguing him. He felt Draco reach out to his now bleeding arm pushing the fabric of his sweater up his arm.

After Draco had found out a few weeks earlier about this, he had been rather angry with him for keeping it a secret, but now his cousin was gentle. His fingers moved carefully to the wriggling snake trying to escape and pinned it down. Harry let out a scream as the pain wallowed through his veins and increased while the snake tried desperately to gain once again movement.

Draco's eye stared pitiful at him when Harry leaned his head back and let the tears roll down his cheeks. The thought that someone might have heard him screaming in the middle of the night was far away from his mind right now. He wanted to sink into darkness and let sleep elude the conscious pain.

"Draco…" he whispered as he tried to regain some control over himself, but to no success. It was getting harder and harder with the blond holding onto his bleeding arm and the snake underneath struggling against the Slytherin's grip.

The blond remained quiet focusing solemnly on holding the creature back. The few times that this had happened, it had been only a few minutes before the snake would succumb into rest giving Harry some moments to gather back his strength and regain some control to command it in Parsel to remain as it was. But for that Harry needed to be in a good state of mind and wield what little power he still had onto his arm and seal the snake's moves for a while.

"Can't…" Harry started to pant as his eyes were losing focus little by little. "Tired…"

 ------------------------------------

Considering all public opinions on him, one would really wonder why Severus Snape let himself be tugged out of bed in the middle of the night by one of his students, less alone by Draco Malfoy so that Severus took care of none other than Harry Potter. A second thought would then rise in ones mind as to why said man was treating carefully his hated students in his own private rooms refusing the thought of letting anyone else take care of the aforementioned boy bother his work. Indeed the image of young Malfoy hovering nervously around his Head of House's rooms, following the older man's instructions to bring him things, and the pale unconscious body of the Gryffindor student in the older man's bed, would make quite an impression on a mere by-passer.

Observing his finished work, Severus passed carefully a hand over the bandaged arm of young Potter reassuring himself that he had managed to stop the bleeding. His eyes wandered to the child's face. The boy had gone from unconscious into sleeping and was currently turned to him, his breathing coming in short gasped which the Potion Master deduced to some nightmares.

Now, if one were anyone but Draco at the moment and not worrying about his cousin's health, one would probably get the chance to see a very rare sight. Severus' eyes marveling they little fellow on his bed. Yes, he was allowing himself a moment of weakness; he could always convince himself later that it was due to the shocking scene of Malfoy bringing a bleeding Potter into his quarters. After all that was not a sight that one would get everyday either. And so, Severus was just able to hold himself back from reaching for the dark haired boy's sweating face as he saw his student reach out for Potter and kneel next to his bed. Forcing himself to regain control over himself, Severus got up from where he sat on his bed and noted Draco to follow him. Now would be the perfect opportunity to gain some answers to questions that had been plaguing him over the last weeks, maybe months. Yes, answers he would get, especially with Draco's obvious scattered thoughts. It would be easier to slither cunningly around the child to get what Severus wanted. And so he closed the door to his bedroom and instructed young Malfoy to sit by the fireplace, allowing himself to remain in the dark from where he could read and inspect every feature of the other while remaining unseen and in safety to his own betraying emotions flickering just underneath a melting surface of memories.

 ------------------------------------

Waking up with the sensation that something was amiss was no news o him. Waking up and seeing that the bed next to his was empty was also something he had gotten used to over the last years. But the fact that there was an a black owl gawking back at him as though it was not pleased with his inattentiveness on his friend's whereabouts was a sight Ron was definitely not used to see in the middle of the night. Throwing his sheets aside Ron sat up and glanced curiously at the strange bird. It leaned his head to the side and turned to pick at Harry's pillow as tough it was searching for some treat. Ron got slowly up and moved towards it.

"Hey there." He said noticing the animal that he was approaching so that it wouldn't cry out in alarm and wake the others up. "Harry's not here, but you can leave whatever you want with me." He wasn't sure whether the bird would actually listen to him, a stranger.

The owl turned its brilliant eyes towards him before hopping to the edge of the bed and stretching its leg for Ron to unfold the note attached to it. Surprised by the animal's trusting attitude Ron reached out and patted the owl before undoing the little string holding the note. Laying the note on the bedside table he reached for his clothing and searched for some treats he usually had for Pig there.

"Here little fellow." He extended his hand and the owl picked it up before stretching its wings and leaving the room through the open window. Ron watched it leave before letting his eyes wander curiously towards the note. Should he read it or wait for Harry? Maybe it was something important or maybe it was a message from Sirius. He and Professor Lupin had not written in quite a while and he was suspecting that something had happened to them. Which would explain Harry's strange behavior lately. His friend was worried for the only family he had left. It was reasonable, so Ron had not dared to push the matter too much, especially after the traumatic experience he must have suffered at Voldemort's hands.

So not thinking further about it Ron rolled the paper open and let his eye wander over the nicely written letters.

_Harry,_

_How have you been? Are you cooping well with your problem? I was told that there had been some unwelcome and not very good results in your researches. I am entirely sorry and I wish I could aid you but as I am now, I am unable to let my Master suspect of my behavior anymore. But please believe that if I can find or remember anything of help to you, I will let you know as soon as I can._

_On another matter, I have managed to find out some information on your pet. It appears that our common pain in the ass, Luma, has had his hands in this. I am sure though, that your precious four-legged friend is save and therefore you must not worry. Your current state is already enough trouble to your mind and you should try to not let other matters concern you. Bui if it makes you feel better, I will see that some of the scam I can afford to lose, sets him free again._

_Harry, I was told that you were seeking to go below… again? All I can say is that you're completely out of your mind. Then again, knowing your luck, you might actually succeed on something others before you have failed. But before you do, see that the spell is taken off at least once and see for yourself the full changes it brought so far upon you._

_I wish you good luck on your exams._

_Tom_

_P.S: Have you told D. yet about S.S.?_

Ron re-read the letter a few more times confused? Who was Tom and what four-legged pet was he referring to? Harry had problems in a research? Why didn't he know about this? What was going on?

He closed the note and took a deep breath. More importantly now, where was Harry?

--------------°--------------

I'm drowning in my own being. The fears surfaces and consumes me with every passing hour. I can see that my struggle is already useless, for those dark eyes yet so familiar in color to my own are shining with life that mine are already lacking. The chains have raised me from the ground and hold me tied up in midair while the snakes hiss underneath my feet waiting to devour my soul.

Strong and proudly he is as I watch his features while he glances at me with cold eyes. Eyes that haunt my very being, because they resemble that other man's in so many ways... His features are young as well, unlike the pictures I had seen of him. This man, who reaches out to caress my check with his warmth, is in control and he will no longer allow me to awake from this eternal darkness.

His magic waves around me, comforting and swallowing my thoughts, willing me to give in to his desires and wishes. And I can do no more than comply.

I feel the painful sensation of my skin changing as a spell is lifted from me. I can only watch his eyes as he approaches me and I realize that I am completely at his mercy. His hands wandering over this strange body that I cannot recognize as my own but my mind somehow senses that is far better than my male appearance. The bright eyes examine me, his gaze stripping me naked and I feel ashamed by my own incompetence to fight him off.

I want to shout, but fear ties my courage into an abyss in which I cannot reach, and so I remain quiet.

His hand comes to my face and he forces me to look through my tears at him.

"For now, I will let you remain, for this burden on you might kill us." He reaches with his other hand to my stomach and looses the chains. The clipping sounds as they fall to the ground, while I remain still in midair, make me realize that he is holding me gently. Almost carrying…

I stare scared at him, not comprehending my freedom.

"For now… I will only protect… only until the time is over."

His body pushes me slowly to the ground where he lowers down on me and remains on top touching my arms as I recall another man doing. His fingertips ghosting over the flesh making me gasp out from the sensation they cause me to feel.

I don't understand… I don't want him close… I don't want to be trapped…

Scared…

I cry…

Alone in this empty embrace…

---------------------------------

**TBC in chapter 10**

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	4. Chapter 04

------------------ Chapter 10 

------------------

Fire…

Red blazing flames…

Wild heat flaring vividly…

A process of burning that produces light and heat… sometimes even smoke…

His eyes starred at it trying to free his mind from his problems… from the present… the past… the coming future…

"Mr. Malfoy, what happened?"

The voice that spoke from somewhere was calm and firm. It was almost gentle to a point that his father's never was. There was no malice, only curiosity and maybe worry. But latter was not a thought that dwelled long in his mind, for that it was too confused.

No, confused wasn't the correct word, because he still possessed some kind of normal course of thoughts. It was just hard to focus on the current situation with an image glued before his mental eye of blood on the ground and someone's body lying before him as though dead. It wasn't that he had never seen blood before. He had often enough encountered his father in one of his less pleasant moments. It wasn't that he wasn't familiar as to how to handle things like that. That all didn't really matter, because if added together they never reached the point on were he would feel this… lost.

His father had trained him better.

Yet he couldn't help but feel disorientated, utterly out of control as to handle his life. How could he help, if he had not the courage to force the answers out of Harry or even Riddle?

Maybe his mother was right. He was not his father. He didn't have the guts to seriously harm someone without considering the consequences first.

Lucius was unforeseeable as well as cruel, he was cunning and there was that animalistic side of his that made him yearn for power and control which made him all the more dangerous. Compared to him Draco felt weak. He might posses the wit needed to stand out between the Slytherin, but were his father was cold hearted, in him burned a vivid rage held back by a cold appearance just the way his mother had taught him. In many ways when he had compared himself to his father he had come to the conclusion that either his father was a monster, or Draco was simply more human in aspects that concerned socializing with others. It didn't mean that he didn't threaten, it was simply that while his father made it clear that if not followed, death would await, Draco was more into making sure that people didn't forget that he could get back at them whenever he wanted. His father's way was forwards, while he himself preferred to remain in the dark but still letting others know that the outcome of whatever was going on was depending on his mood, even if it couldn't be followed back to him.

Draco resembled probably more his grandfather. Crazy but amazingly smart and evil man, but that was to be expected from someone who had given birth to Voldemort.

He remembered clearly that not even those related to the old man dared to turn their back to him, even the children had been sensible enough to follow the adults example. If one would bother to compare his grandfather with his father, Draco had to say that basing on the level of intelligence his grandfather was far ahead, but he had taught his son well in the ways of fear.

And that was the point; Lucius was a cold and sadistic bastard that thought only of himself. Draco, as much as his grandfather, was more the background figure that moved quietly the pieces he had at his service. Still Draco feared his father. Nothing would probably ever change that. Seriously, he was scared that someday when his father died or got killed his ghost would come back and find out about all those secrets Draco had kept from him until then. And on top of the list was Harry.

"Mr. Malfoy?"

Draco turned almost mechanically to his teacher standing in the shadow. His mind was still a complete disorder.

"What happened?"

He wanted to turn back to starring into the playful flames of the fireplace, but he could sense the intensity of the Potion Master's eyes on him holding him back from doing such, although he couldn't see them. It was like being observed by his father.

Maybe he was being a little over dramatic, he probably couldn't help it, after all he _was_ really worried about Harry's health.

Why? Why worry about someone who he had up until recently hated? Why had he allowed the other to get closer to him in the first place? Why was he showing weakness? Why? Why? _Why?_!

"Mr. Malfoy?"

And again the voice called out to him and the need to turn away increased even more. But his father had been a good teacher: '_Don't look away from what scares you! Retreat quietly, but never run away!'  _That would only catch the other's attention and would only lead to an inferior position from which later he would be unable to hide. '_But most important of all…'_ his father's voice echoed in his mind, '_if you lie to me, even if you are my son, I will punish you severely. And I will know when you lie. I can tell…'_

And so could this man before him. After all, the Potion Master was his father's closest thing to a friend… more or less… They had grown up together. Snape probably knew him as well as his father.

But… he had been able to fool his father lately… Suspicion had been in the pale eyes as they had starred at him, but there were no signs that confirmed that he had twisted the truth... He still didn't dare to lie straight ahead to his father…

Maybe he could fool Snape as well…

But why?

Draco had come here to him asking for help. He had been the one who had broken the promise with Harry, that he would keep their secret, by bringing him here in the first place. Yet, he had been scared. He hadn't known what else to do.

And…

He was still scared…

Maybe he should just confine… a little… barely enough to satisfy the current curiosity… serve enough twisted truth…

 ------------------------------------

Nobody else could feel it, Riddle knew. As far as outward appearance went, there was no reason why anybody should feel the least unease. The skies were a gentle blue; the sun shone with unseasonable warmth; the earth smelled clean. The hazy colors on the mountain in the horizon muted their colors with every passing hour of the day.

Yet behind all this gentleness, he could feel tension mounting everywhere, advancing like a slow relentless flood. Enmity was beginning to push at him. Slowly but irresistibly, the pressure of malevolence was building up to the point where it could break and overwhelm him. And nobody else knew. Only the hidden senses of one carrying on with the Curse of Slytherin could feel the working of the dark.

But still the sky smiled at this early morning hours and he went off to find his master and his companions who were out to fetch some poor soul to torture.

------------------------------------

Thudding and fast steps echoed through the empty hall of Hogwarts in the middle of the night. Swift sounds of clothing accompanied the echo as the tall and shaggy figure ran towards Dumbledore's office. The man had not much idea how he had gotten here. The last thing he remembered was being trapped in a dark cell feeling the anguishing pain of the Cruciatus humming in his body. Then someone had come in, red eyes had looked empty from under the dark cloak as something was pushed into his hand and he was pulled into the vortex of the portkey.

Upon waking he had found himself at the Quidditch Pitch of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Gathering his strength he forced himself to forget the pain and rush for help.

He stormed up the entrance to the headmaster's office after screaming almost every possible password he could remember at the statue. Not bothering to knock he stormed in to see a slightly surprised old man starring up at him from his book.

"Remus!" Albus exclaimed before quickly getting up from his seat and coming around the table. He offered with a hand a seat to the seemingly distressed man.

"No!" Remus shook his head gasping for air. "That doesn't matter right now! They still have Sirius!!"

------------------------------------

He watched from the shadows one of the Death Eaters emerge out of the dungeon, where he had probably had his way on the two Marauders who had been caught a few days ago. Peter had been there when they had brought the almost lifeless bodies of Sirius Black and Remus Lupin in.

He had heard that they had fought hard against the Death Eaters, but to no success. Black still suffered when exposed to the influence of the Dementors that had started to be assigned to most groups. And Lupin had been in an even more miserable situation due to the fact that he had come out of his Werewolf form that day. In a short but harsh battle, that cost three of the seven Death Eaters their lives, Black and Lupin had been defeated

Malfoy had said that the Dark Lord intended to use them against Dumbledore, either blackmailing him, or as the rumors said, to manipulate them with one of Snape's new drugs to fight on their side. Either way it would cause distrust in Dumbledore's mist and also affect his Lord's most annoying enemy Harry Potter. The boy would feel abandoned and maybe even stop aiding Dumbledore.

For a moment Peter felt that old jealousy he had against Black rise in him, the other was standing once again in the spot light. He smiled dryly; the difference to back then was that this time Peter would watch from a save place how the Marauders were finally destroyed.

Seeing the Death Eater leave out of sight, Peter made his way down to the dungeon to look after his master's precious tools and maybe show Black and Lupin that being faithful to the memory of Potter would once again lead them to misery.

He proceeded through the dark corridor and stopped at the cell door of the werewolf. He opened the door and couldn't believe his sight. Where he expected to see the chained and pale form of Remus Lupin, he found only an empty cell.

"THE PRISONER HAS ESCAPED!!!"

------------------------------------

Harry awoke slowly; opening his eyes he took a careful look at his surrounding. He was in a dark room, not because there was no light, but because most of the furniture was either in dark brown or black. The room seemed dead; yet, Harry couldn't help but feel more comfortable than he had in the last weeks. He felt protected and safe as if this were his quarters.

Realizing he didn't know where he was he sat abruptly up a little alarmed, pushing his body up with his hands. He winced at the pain in his right arm. He looked down at it and saw that it was bandaged carefully.

"Draco?" he asked out loud in confusion and pushed his legs over the edge of the bed. No reply was given.

Coming in contact with the cold floor he noticed that his shoes had been taken off and had been arranged, alongside his father's cloak and his uniform's cape, on a seat near a door. Although he felt somewhat dizzy in his head, he walked carefully over and slipped into his shoes.

He glanced around the room trying to figure out where he was. He looked at one of the walls with a large shelf holding old books. Who ever the owner of this room was must be reading them a lot because even from this distance he could make out the worn out covers. On the table next to the seat lay an opened book and a pocket watch with the sign of Slytherin engraved on its border. He reached out for it but stopped at the sound of familiar voice coming trough the half opened door.

Turning in curiosity to the source he took a glimpse at the room behind it.

He could see Draco sitting at a fireplace. The blond was starring into it.

"Mr. Malfoy?"

Harry felt his heartbeat stop for a moment at the sound of Snape's voice. Draco turned slowly to the figure out of Harry's sight.

"Potter and I…we're…" he paused passing a hand over his face and leaning back into the seat. "It's complicated, Professor, I'm not quite sure where to start, but I can assure you once thing." His voice turned serious. "I wish no harm on Harry and if I can prevent anyone including my father to lay a hand on him then I will. No matter the cost."

"Those are heavy words, Mr. Malfoy, but still nothing more than words." There was a pause. "Why should I believe you?" Harry could imagine the professor raising an eyebrow, the way he did when he questioned him in class. The penetrating stare to which one had to answer, but right now Snape continued to speak. "Your behavior towards Potter has shown nothing but enmity up until now and you _are_ a Slytherin. We don't help others and we don't trust even ourselves."

Draco leaned forward again. "Yet still you are aiding Dumbledore and I still brought Harry to –" Suddenly the flames jumped vividly interrupting Draco. A face started to form in them and in a matter of seconds, Snape had moved between the fireplace and Draco hushing the boy to quiet and closing off Harry's view of the flames.

"Severus!"

Even though Harry couldn't see who it was, he recognized immediately the voice of the headmaster.

"Albus, do you know how late it is?" Snape asked sounding annoyed.

"We have a probl-"

"Severus!!" a second voice interrupted the headmaster.

"Lupin?" Harry could see Snape move a bit awkwardly back, bumping into the blond behind him and almost causing Draco to fall out off the seat. But his cousin remained silent and out of view of the fire.

"Severus! You must help Sirius! We were caught! He's still being held by Voldemort and-"

"Quiet!!" the Potion master snapped. "I'll be right there."

Harry couldn't see what happened next since he had stepped away from the door, his hands on his mouth stopping himself from crying out loud.

"Oh god! Sirius!!" he whispered as he heard Snape say something to Draco. Harry couldn't move from where he stood. His heartbeat echoed loudly in his own ears as adrenaline and worry started to take over his mind.

Suddenly the door flung open and he starred up at the image of the Potion Master looking startled at his presence. They starred at each other and Harry felt the magic pull greater than ever to this man. Snape was the first to move. He hurried to a trunk and took a few things out. Tugging them under his arm he left the room again ignoring Harry completely.

"Mr. Malfoy, you and Potter wait _here_!" he ordered. "Understand me?!!"

Draco slowly nodded glancing at his cousin as he heard the Potion Master leave.

------------------------------------

Severus couldn't say when it had been the last time that he had wanted to rid the world of Remus Lupin for being an utter nuisance and for the man's inability to just keep quiet when it was appropriate.

"Are you out of your mind to say something like _that_ through the fire!" he snapped at the obviously distressed and injured man. "Do you know what might happen if anyone had heard in on our conversation?" _Not to mention that Potter heard and his stupidity might lead him to do something foolish. And to make things worse Draco Malfoy was listening as well. I certainly hope Malfoy wasn't lying and keeps the troublemaker out of danger. _"I can understand that you are somewhat unable to get any descend process of thought done in your head. But for the rest of us, could you at least pretend that you do posses some sort of commonsense." He sighed not waiting for the other to reply. "Now tell me what exactly happened?"

Remus looked up, one of his eyes was swollen and his lips were dry and bleeding, but he didn't seem to take any notice of this. "They trapped us in Wales. They had already known we would be coming and attacked us with Dementors. We fought as good as we could, but…"

Severus took a deep breath. "That doesn't matter, how did you get out."

Remus looked down at his injured hands. "I'm not sure, a man came and helped me. He told me how to get out… I can't remember much else…"

The door of the headmaster's office opened and the old man came in followed by Madam Pomfrey who was still in her nightgown. He must have startled her out of bed the way her hair was tousled around her face. Ignoring Severus she immediately ran over to attend Remus without directing a word to either men. But the Potion Master could see how displeased she was the way she pressed her lips together and narrowed her eyebrows while checking up on Lupin's injured hands. That look was usually reserved for Albus whenever Severus came back injured form one of the Death Eater meetings.

"Severus, I know that-"

He raised his hand cutting the old man off. "Albus, don't give me crap now, I'll just go as _always_ and get Black back." He said shaking his head and left the room.

------------------------------------

"No, Harry!!"

"Draco!!"

"NO!!" Draco snapped irritated as he grabbed Harry's left arm holding his cousin back. "You heard Snape! We're to remain here!"

Harry glared angrily at the blond. "Draco, he's my godfather!!" he sounded desperate.

"That might be, but what good could you possibly do? You might actually end up causing more harm than good!"

"You don't know that! "

"And you can't assure the contrary!"

Harry pulled his arm free and went back to the room where he had left his father's cloak. "I don't care. I'm going with or without your help!"

Draco growled in frustration following him. "And how exactly will you do that?! You don't even know _where_ they are holding him!!"

Harry turned around extending his injured arm pointing at him. "That is why _you_ will come along."

The Slytherin gapped. "Wha…WHAT?!!" he raised his arms in defense. "NO WAY!!"

With a few quick steps Harry had moved over to him. "You're the only one here besides Snape who knows how to contact Voldemort. You're a Malfoy, they won't suspect of you!!" Harry looked pleadingly at the blond as tears formed in the corner of his eyes. "Draco I beg you. Help me!"

Passing a hand over his face Draco tried to think of something that would convince his cousin otherwise, but he knew quiet well how stubborn the other was. Harry would probably go as he had said, even if Draco didn't show him the way. The best the Slytherin could do now was to make sure Harry got safe back.

"All right!" he sighed in defeat, not pleased that he actually had to give in to something so obviously stupid and definitely gryffindorish and not to mention dangerous. "I'll… I'll just get my things… But you must promise me…" he locked his eyes with Harry to intensify his next words. " Should we get into any kind of trouble, you will come with me _even_ if we are unable to rescue your godfather!"

"Drac-"

"Promise!!" Draco snapped.

Harry twitched slightly at the harshness of the word, before he nodded, slowly. "Okay…"

A deep breath escaped Draco. "Meet me in ten minutes at the entrance of my dorm, until _then_, you wait _here._" He turned around. "I just hope Snape doesn't find out…"

-----------------------°-----------------------

My head lies on his lap while he absently passes a hand through my hair. The gentle caresses he gives me are but an illusion to trick me to lower my guard, to trust him enough for him to control me and take over my mind and body.

I know this…

I fear him so close, but I also feel comforted by his being here. Maybe I am foolish for thinking that as long as he remains at my side I am not alone. That he will protect us because that is why he released me. Wasn't it? In order for us not to die…

I push myself slowly up and meet his gaze, strong and holding so much power that it makes me shiver. I want to believe that he will cause me no harm, but the clinging sound of the chains around my wrist remind me of the harsh reality that binds us together in my flesh.

A soul that wants to devour mine…

Waiting…

He said he would allow me freedom, but for what purpose? What reason?

I am confused.

He reaches out to me again. His hands rises and I see that the chains have appeared again around his wrist, with the slight difference that they no longer are to hold him back but to keep me close. Slowly he pushes my hair behind my ear. I lean into the touch unable to stop myself.

"Go… for now…" he whispers almost sadly. His eyes look tired, and I have the feeling that he knows something I am not even aware of.

I push myself away from him, slowly, not sure if what he said is what he meant. I watch him watch me as I move to my feet. I take a step back from him into the darkness that surrounds us. He doesn't protest, he doesn't move…

I take another one increasing the space between us. But this time the chains that lead me to him open with another clicking sound separating us.

I stare down.

"Go…" his voice orders me more harshly than before. "Go…"

And I turn around running away…

Confused…

Free? …

---------------------------

**TBC in Chapter 11**

---------------------------

**A/N:**

Well, this updater was just to fix the paragraphs


	5. Chapter 05

A/N: 

Hi everyone! With this chapter I complete Part two of this Trilogy ! YAEH!! It's pretty long since it was supposed to be originally two chapters, but due some problems I ended up making it a very, very long one. I mean it's over 5000 words! This must be like the longest chapter I've ever written…

As usual sighs this is NOT BETAD!! I'm not a native English speaker nor do I have a beta, so bear with the mistakes. Sorry, just tell me where they are and I see when I can fix them.

Also THANK YOU for the reviews! I love them all! They cheer me on to keep on writing on this story. Sadly I can't reply to each and every one of them. hehe.

Well, hope you enjoy this chapter.

Oh, and before I forget, remember that the last part is en event that happens inside of Harry.

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Chapter 11 

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Lucius growled low with suppressed anger. Someone had gone against his will and had released Lupin. Who ever was so insolent would learn soon the price he would have to pay for his stupidity.

"Bring me Black!!" he snapped kicking Peter in his back, who was still panting heavily from the effects of the Cruciatus on the ground. "You insufferable rat!" his voice turned high-pitched as he tried not to scream out in fury. "Get him out of my sight before I decide that his live is even less worthy than that of an House-Elf!!"

Two Death Eaters rushed over to the squirming form of Pettigrew and heaved him up leaving with him the room. Lucius tried to calm down, feeling his body trembling due his anger. It had been years since he had been this furious. His plans had been going so well up until now. He had succeeded in getting two of Dumbledore's most important spies and now someone had dare…

He took a deep breath.

Someone had dared to make a fool out of him!!

Voldemort got up from his seat next to Lucius. "I want the whole area searched throughout." He hissed, his voice was menacingly as he threatened the other Death Eaters with his half-raised wand. "We broke his wand, which means he can't use magic. He must be somewhere nearby." Lucius looked at the smaller figure sensing a cold stare glaring from under the hood at the others. "Find him, or I will have you all punished so severely that you will cry out like a whore for me to kill you!!" Voldemort snapped.

Lucius watched him while the Death Eaters hurried to leave them alone. He closed his eyes before speaking up again, not bothering to turn to Voldemort. "Fetch Snape, we will make sure that Black doesn't escape as well."

The Dark Lord nodded submissively. "As you wish…"

------------------------------------

Someone shook Harry lightly, forcing him to wake up after the trip with the portkey. He was about to ask what was going on when a hand was pushed over his mouth, quieting him. For a moment he was paralyzed but then he recognized Draco's features in the dark. The other put a finger over his mouth and Harry nodded in understanding relieved that it had just been Draco. For a moment he had thought he had been caught.

The blond handed him his father's cloak and quickly Harry disappeared beneath it. Meanwhile Draco got up to his feet. He lifted the white Death Eater mask to his face, hiding his features beneath it.

"Follow me quietly." He whispered. Sensing that Harry was next to him, he pointed towards the House at the end of the thick forest making his way towards it.

Harry felt an uneasy chill run down his spine as he remembered fleeing in panic from here. He couldn't believe he had been the one suggesting to return let alone was following Draco back in.

Draco took a deep breath feeling his body tense and his heartbeat racing. His blood rushed through him making him more nervous than he had been before leaving Hogwarts. He just prayed he wouldn't have to run into his father.

The cold wind pulled at Harry cloak and he had to hold on from the inside to it so that it wouldn't reveal him. That was the last thing he needed now, they had to find Sirius. He looked up at the ominous image of the dark manor looming with its pale-lighted windows down at them. Dark shadows hushed into the lights view and Harry felt another chill run over him. The plants around them rustled causing his attention to focus more on his surroundings than on the path he walked. He wanted to reach out to Draco, but immediately realized how foolish that would be. Others might notice Harry's presence. He truly prayed there was no one who had the ability like Dumbledore to see past the invisibility cloak. That surely would be disastrous.

Draco stopped and Harry realized they had stepped out of the thicket and were standing now before the house. He let his gaze rise while moving closer to Draco, bumping lightly into him. The other turned startled.

"Sorry." Harry whispered an apology.

Draco shook lightly his head and continued his way. Harry sighed before trotting silently after his cousin, careful not to come in contact again. The snake on his arm wriggled nervously and he had to bit down on his lower lip to ignore it for now. There was a chance that it might stop moving if he ordered it in Parsel, but the Death Eaters were running around in alert. They had probably realized that Remus had fled. Speaking up now could risk discovery.

Draco raised a hand a little signalizing to Harry to stop. A Death Eater came by and the blond blocked his way.

"What happened?" he asked.

The taller one looked down at him before answering. "Did you just get here or what?" the voice sounded female.

Draco crossed his arms taking a fast step forward invading her private space. "Just answer, woman." He snapped, which seemed to have the wished effect, or maybe she had just recognized his voice.

"The werewolf escape and now our Master has us searching the grounds for him." She replied.

"I see…" he leaned back given her some room. "What about the other one…what was his name again? …"

"Black?" she asked.

He nodded.

The woman shrugged. "I believe the Lord ordered Malfoy to take him down to the laboratory. They drugged him with one of Snape's new things." She laughed lightly. "Dumbledore will certainly have some surprise with that."

Draco chuckled, but Harry could tell that he lacked real emotion to it. "Then I better go see my father."

------------------------------------

"Hold him down!!" Lucius ordered as Black tried trashing around for freedom from the Death Eater's hold. He turned to Voldemort.

The smaller figure nodded lightly, lifting his wand muttering a curse. Black screamed as the Cruciatus hit him forcing him down to his knees. Unfocused eyes starred up to Lucius and somehow he felt a sick and malicious pleasure seeing the other suffer. It was more entertaining than any of his other victims, but that might be due his own personal grudge and dislike towards the Marauder.

"Give me the vial." He snapped at the man next to him.

"But Snape is no-"

Lucius grabbed the man by his collar with one hand. "Give it to me!" he shouted causing the Death Eater to crinch startle. A dark smile played upon Lucius' lips. "Snape will be here soon anyway. " he snickered "We can enjoy ourselves until he arrives."

"But we don't know what will happen to an Animagus if he-" The man's protest was suddenly stop and he found himself wriggling in pain on the ground next to Black.

"Do _not_ oppose me!" Lucius growled lowering his wand before leaning down to take the vial out of the man's hand and stepped over to Sirius glaring up at him.

He reached out for the face and forced the vial into the others mouth. Black tried to spill it out again but Lucius held his nose close forcing him to drink if he wanted to breath.

Fire like liquid ran down Sirius' troth. The people who had been holding him let him drop to the ground were he struggled to find his breath again. The fire flared within. He tried to scream. Maybe he was already screaming. He couldn't say for sure. The world spun around in maddening colours and forms. Shades formed from nothing, sound increased and died out so suddenly that he felt his heart stop in panic.

Somewhere in his rational process of thoughts he realized that he had to vomit to get the venom out of his body. But realization and ordering his body to do so were two different things.

His skin started to stench mouldy and his bones started to crack. Pain went like an incontrollable flood through him and he cried hoping for death to release him from this madness.

------------------------------------

Draco stopped suddenly and Harry bumped again into him.

"What's wrong?" he asked making sure not to raise his voice too much to alarm the nearby Death Eaters.

His cousin reached up with a hand and lowered slightly his mask to look at where he expected Harry to stand. "I don't think my father will keep your godfather in the house any longer after the Professor escaped." Pale eyes scanned quickly their surroundings before giving Harry a nod to follow him and putting the mask back into place. "My father is probably pissed right now. And when he is, he takes his victims outside to a special dungeon that lays secluded from the house."

"Are you saying we have been looking for almost an hour here for _nothing_?" Harry asked distressed.

"I'm not sure…" came the reply while Draco proceeded to walk rapidly back down to the first floor. "But it would made sense." Harry heard him scowl under his breath. "I should have realized this sooner!" His steps started to become larger and shortly after Harry found himself running after the other out of the house back into the woods.

Unknown to both, Harry's cape had lifted slightly while running and his feet had become exposed, but to the figure in the shadows this did not remain unnoticed.

------------------------------------

Severus arrived to see Black screaming on the ground while a yellow fog evaporated from him causing the room to fill with a foul stench. He lifted a hand up to his mask pressing it against his face in order to keep his mouth shut so he would vomit like the others in the room. They had retreated to the walls watching either mesmerized or horrified the scene, Severus couldn't tell with the fog causing his eye to burn and water clouding his sight.

"What the hell have you done?!" he snapped at Lucius crouching over by the door letting whatever he had eaten out of his system.

The smell of vomit was starting to mix with the distinctive scent of blood. Realizing that he wouldn't get an answer out of Malfoy, Severus looked over at Sirius. The man had turned over on his back and was bending up like a tense bow. The sounds that escaped his throat were repressed by the gurgling of blood in his mouth and streaming down the sides of his face.

"What have you done?!!" he grabbed Lucius by his cape and pulled him up causing the stomach liquids that were still coming out of him to soil Severus' own clothing. "What did you give him!!" he was ready to scream, but he could feel his own organs tightening together in disgust at the scents and sounds around him. He knew that speaking more than necessary would have him end up like the other men and women in here.

"We gave him your new Potion…" a voice spoke from behind the him.

Severus recognized it as the Dark Lords immediately. Letting Lucius sink back to the ground he turned to face the smaller, but older man.

"But I hadn't finished it, besides I hadn't even finished testing it." He pointed at Black holding with his other hand the mask against his face again, fighting back the urge to throw up as well. "I thought we were going to use Black against Dumbledore, but if he dies here what purpose would it serve, my Lord? And he very well might. I added ingredients that are _deadly_ for Animagus!" he said raising his voice at the end.

"Then isn't it a good thing that you arrived?" Voldemort asked countering his insolence with a deadly tone in his voice. The Dark Lord reached as well up to his mouth covering it with the sleeve of his cape. "Everyone out of here! Leave Black where he is!"

The Potion Master watched as Lucius and the others hurried out of the room. And he was about to follow them when Voldemort called him back.

"Severus."

He blinked behind the mask at the use of his first name.

"You'll keep an eye on Sirius … Black…" Ruby eyes looked up at him from under the hood meaningfully before leaving

Narrowing his eyes in confusion, Severus nodded slowly after the other. "Yes… My Lord…"

------------------------------------

Draco stopped at an old well, leaning over the border he glanced down waving with his hand for Harry to come and take a look.

"It's down there, but I've never been there, and I have no idea what exactly there is below, let alone how to get down. Unless you can fly, of course …"

Harry pushed his the cloak back revealing his head. "Isn't there a ladder?"

Draco made hand movement at his neck. "Don't head float!" he growled. "It's just as irritating as it was the first time you scared the shit out of me!"

Harry sighed amused. "Alright." He said letting his father's cloak fall to the ground before picking it up. "What about the ladder?"

Draco looked around. "I don't think there's one…" he lifted his hands to his hips. "But we could transmute a small branch into a rope…" he glanced at Harry. "How about that?"

His cousin nodded. "Okay I'll get the branch and the rope ready while you keep a check out for anything suspicious and warn me when someone comes."

Draco agreed turning to look back down into the illuminated passage below in the well.

He could hear noises from there and the smell was less than pleasant. Shadows started to become visible as they approached the torch beneath. Draco warned Harry as loud as he could get without catching the attention of the Death Eaters coming closer.

He watched as men gathered beneath. Then Draco heard Voldemort speak up in Parsel and stairs formed within the well in circular form reaching up to where he stood. Alarmed Draco hurried to hide behind a tree hoping that Harry was smart enough to do the same thing under the invisibility cloak.

------------------------------------

Lucius let the man next to him help him out of the well. He took a deep breath relieved to be able to smell clean air again. He sighed mentally; the chances that he could still use Black against Dumbledore were low. The look on Severus' face had said enough for him to realize that maybe he had gone a little to far and had behaved without really considering all the consequences.

It was unusual for him to act absentmindedly, but then again, it was rare to have the chance to let all his anger out on the man that had been his rival and enemy for many years. Whatever the outcome of Black's case would be, Lucius was sure that he had at least damaged some of Dumbledore's plans. If not, it was still enough to cause the Potter boy to blame and distrust the old wizard for his inability to protect the little family the boy had left.

He glanced at Riddle who spoke up again in Parsel causing the stairs to disappear into the walls before heading quickly back towards the house.

Voldemort had told Severus to remain behind and clean up after Lucius. It was an intelligent thing to do. If there was still a chance to save the Gryffindor, the only one who would be able to rid the Animagu's body from the venom was Severus. After all, he had been the one to invent it in the first place.

Yet Lucius was starting to get the feeling that the power he used to behold over the Dark Lord was starting to get less and less. Maybe he was just being paranoid, maybe he was just extremely sensitive since the Potter-escapade, but he was not a fool as not to see the rebellion that burned in the red eyes whenever the smaller man though himself to be unobserved.

Secrets were being held from him and what annoyed him was that he couldn't prove it because the only other one who probably knew about them was the snake. And even though he was a descendant of Slytherin, he had not inherited the ability to speak to snakes.

He turned feeling observed.

Nothing…

No one…

Narrowing his eyes in suspicion he walked slowly from the well.

Could Lupin be around to help his friend?

… Maybe…

He should call more guard up to the well.

------------------------------------

Harry rushed over to Draco hiding carefully beneath his cloak as Lucius Malfoy left the well's area.

"You think he noticed?" he asked the blond as they sat crouched against a tree glancing carefully around its side to make sure there was no one left.

"I don't know…" confessed his cousin. "Father is not usually paranoid, which would be a good thing for us, but the way he turned his eyes into our direction as though he could sense us here, gives me doubts." He looked at where he though Harry to be. "We should hurry, I don't want to even think about what would happen if he found us…" He narrowed worriedly his eyes making, which made look more like his father in Harry's opinion than ever before. "If he finds you…" he continued in a whisper and Harry could feel his throat getting dry at the mere thought.

Harry pushed the Invisibility cloak back and handed Draco the rope. "I have everything, we should act now."

The blond nodded taking another glance around the tree making sure they were alone once more. Then the two of them made their way to the well.

"You didn't happen to hear what Riddle said?" Draco asked.

Harry shook his head. "I was too far away."

The Slytherin sighed. "Ah well, nothing we can do about that now." He passed a hand over his mask. "I'll go first."

"But-"

Draco's head spun around and he looked angrily at Harry. "My rules, remember! You stay, I go."

Harry blinked before turning his head ashamed away.

"Besides, if they see me, I can always say I was looking for father, whether you … You just would get yourself killed." He reached under his cloak and handed Harry a book. "If I am not back in an hour you will promise me to get the hell out of here with this. It's a portkey that will activate per password." He pointed at the title on the cover.

Green eyes looked in protest into pale one, but Draco glared emphatic back not backing away on his words. "Promise?"

Harry growled but murmured an agreement.

Draco nodded pleased. "Alright, put the rope around the pole here and let me slowly down."

Laying his father's cloak and the book on the ground Harry positioned himself against the well with one foot on the border while with the other on the ground to strengthen his weight against the others while letting slowly more and more of the rope glide below with his cousin holding onto it.

Harry felt a strong pull as Draco noticed him that he had made it down. He let his foot down and approached the well glancing down. He saw his cousin waving an okay up to him before he disappeared in the passageway.

He sighed passing his bandaged hand over his face. Slowly he retreated it from him glancing curiously at his arm. Since they had left the house the snake had not bothered to move. Not the he was complaining about it, but its stillness was unnerving.

Suddenly it moved alarmed under his skin and Harry cursed out loud in pain. He should just have ignored the slithering creature! He grabbed with his hand for his arm letting go of the rope and tried to keep it from moving.

Suddenly a spell hit him from behind and Harry hit with his face against the stone surface of the well. Tumbling in surprise back to his feet he looked for the spell's source. But there was no one visible.

The snake wriggled panicked.

Then swiftly and suddenly Pettigrew stepped into view. He pointed with his wand at him while coming closer. Unable to move Harry tried to control the scared creature in his arm to little success. So he reached slowly for his wand in his sleeve.

Pettigrew towered over him before he leaned down and grabbed the rope. He pushed Harry to the side, so that he tumbled sideways into a painful heap against the wall again letting his wand fall to the ground.

As Harry scrambled up after picking the book up and tugging it under his arm, he clutched with his hand his arm causing it to hurt more. Harry felt no anger or fear but acute irritation. Pettigrew: always Pettigrew! While Lucius Malfoy loomed in dire threat to his friends and family, Pettigrew, like the squealing mouse that he was, endlessly intruded to tug Harry down to the petty enmity that ruled between them. He glared at Pettigrew with a mute disdain that the man had not the wit to recognize as being dangerous.

"What do you think you're doing, Potter!" the old man said holding the rope firmly with one hand while pointing with his other hand his wand at Harry. He could see an odd glittering in that man's eyes.

Harry answered coldly. "Leave me be, Pettigrew!"

"Manners Potter." Pettigrew said in an amused scowl. "I know very well why you are here. You and that petty little son of Malfoy are here to free that godfather of yours. But there is no single way in the world that I'm going to allow you to interfere with my Lord's plans."

In mindless suspicion he pulled the rope up before reaching out to Harry and the portkey under his arm threatening him with his wand and showing that he was ready to attack anytime. But Harry's reaction was quicker than his own eyes could follow. The portkey was far too important to be placed in such foolish jeopardy; it was their only way back, their only escape route.

Pettigrew cursed loudly and threw an unforgivable spell at him.

Instantly, Harry was someone else in the blaze of power, rearing up terrible as a pillar of light. Towering in fury, he stretched an arm pointing at Pettigrew with a silver wand.

Pettigrew cringed before him letting wand and rope fall in surprise to the ground. His eyes were wide and his mouth slack with terror, expecting annihilation.

This other Harry watched warily, knowing that he was taking the greatest risk of all by channeling his own immense power through this small body which was not yet prepared to its fullest to accept it. Awareness pulled at his mind of the appealing forces at his command.

Pettigrew could sense this boy's anger and sudden malice whirling around his body like a trapped bird in a cage without exit.

And with a kind of sadness that was somehow unnatural and out of place a new voice spoke through Harry's lips. "You and your kin will pay for forcing me awake and bring an immense burden upon my shoulder." The green eyes shone brightly like the forbidden curse as the boy spoke again. "You shall not be forgiven."

------------------------------------

The Cruciatus hit him full force and Tom Riddle fell to the ground in a heavy thud, while he bit his lower lip in order not to scream.

"What are you up to, you little filth?!" Lucius grabbed his face to force him to look up.

Tom shuddered at the contact and at the memory of Black in a similar position.

"I …" he spat blood out. "I don't understand…"

Lucius glared menacingly at him. "How stupid do you think I am?" he slapped him with the back of his hand over the face causing the smaller man to slam once more against the ground. "Did you think it would pass unnoticed by me that you have men waiting at the well to free Black the same way Lupin was?"

Another Cruciatus hit him and this time he screamed.

"That I wouldn't sense them?"

Unfocused eyes looked up to him and a dry smile formed on the bleeding lips. "I can't disobey you…" he spat more blood. "Have you forgotten? … my Lord…"

Lucius crossed his arms. "Father warned me of your wickedness. Pettigrew of your madness…" the pale eyes darkened dangerously. "I can ignore all those… But my cousin gave me a very good warning before you killed him…" Lucius knelt down next to the panting form of Voldemort. "And do you know what he said?"

Crimson eyes starred up in defiance and Lucius chuckled at the weak display before him. He leaned down to the other's ear and whispered: "'Every spell will eventually wear off…every trapped creature will seek its freedom… And Voldemort will fight for revenge… Never trust a monster.'"

The Dark Lord's widened in disbelieve.

Lucius leaned back and got to his feet. "And did you truly believe I hadn't noticed that the Imperio had weakened?" he snorted. "A spell of such power creates a bond between the caster and the victim. I knew that you were slipping my control, but I had tolerated you're disobedience on Young Potter's case, even the fact that you were trying to make my own son my enemy." He turned his back to Tom. "But today… you passed your limit, and I don't tolerate betrayal."

The Dark Lord screamed as another spell was cast upon his body. The chains that had loosened tightened and the pain mixed with the blankness of ignorance that was taking over his mind. A liquid was forced down his throat and he could help but gulp it down.

Then unconsciousness overtook him.

Lucius stepped out of the room and turned to the Death Eater by the door. "Have everyone gathering at the well. The prisoners will try to escape…"

------------------------------------

Black had stopped moving.

Under normal circumstances Severus would have considered that to be a good thing, but in the condition the other was right now, that was the worst-case scenario that was on his list right before: He's dead.

He passed a hand over his sweating face.

After the others had left he had taken his mask off and had pulled his sweater's turtleneck over his nose to stop some of the smell to cause him dizziness. He had somehow managed to get a hold of the trashing man and forced him to drink up a vomit-provoking potion. Severus hadn't been sure whether it wasn't already too late for it to work, but then after a few very calm and seemingly endless minutes the Marauder curled over and emptied his stomach. But after that black had ceased to move.

Worried to go return empty handed to Dumbledore as well as Voldemort, Severus had leaned closer and had checked for a pulse and breathing. And thankfully both had been there, weak, but there.

The fact that Black was barely alive was a good thing, but Severus knew that if he didn't treat the man with the proper medicaments Sirius Black was doomed to die. Although that thought hadn't been as unwelcome as it should have, Severus realized that he had to worry about the boy he had left behind as well.

Ever since the incident where Voldemort had forced them together, Severus had felt an inevitable urge to be close to that boy. He hated that feeling, but it was overpowered by the need to keep Harry save, to protect him and have him where Severus could watch him. It was like a magic vortex pulling him slowly nearer not allowing him escape. For the last months it had been quite the fight with his self-control but he had managed to avoid Harry as much as he could and still not to make it too obvious.

… There was that 'Harry' again in his head. It was Potter! Potter!! …

Severus cursed under his breath annoyed at his own thoughts.

He looked down at Black wondering whether it would be appropriated to move the man at his feet. Clearly he should take him back to Hogwarts, but that would make him a traitor in Voldemort's eyes. He couldn't risk that, not after he had spend years sacrificing himself to come as far as he had.

Taking a deep breath he reached with an arm under Black, while reaching with his other hand for the man's arm in order to pull him up and move him along with him.

He couldn't leave the man here either after all.

Heaving the other up and getting a good hold on him so that they wouldn't both stumble back to the dirty floor, he dragged the other to door, kicked it open and left with him.

The hall was empty and quiet, his own feet echoed loudly until faintly he started to hear approaching footsteps. By the sound he could tell that whoever it was either sneaking around or hadn't the slightest idea of where he was. Thinking quickly of an excuse for dragging the Marauder around the well's dungeon, he prepared himself mentally for the contact with another Death Eater.

A small figure came into view and stopped at his sight. Severus moved on ignoring him.

"Professor…"

Severus froze at the sound of the voice. He starred at the somewhat smaller hooded man… not man, boy.

"Malfoy?" he asked out loud.

The boy nodded removing his mask. "Thanks goodness I found you two. We should hurry quickly back."

The Potion Master didn't move. "What are you doing here? I thought I had made myself clear that you-" he broke off. If Malfoy was here that meant that…

His eyes widened as he felt a sudden panic rush go through his body causing him to shiver involuntary. His student hurried to his side to help him with Black, but that didn't matter.

Something had happened to Harry…

He had been suddenly attacked by a wave of urges and emotions that wanted him to go help the boy, but as quickly as they had surface they had left leaving him empty and alone.

… Something terribly had happened…

------------------------------------

He starred emotionless at the men dying at his feet. Fools they were trying to fight against him, especially after what they had caused him to do.

He was furious at that rat for having caused a life to cease, for having forced him to awake after he had let the child go free. He was angered by the fact that he had awoken in a woman let alone a Gryffindor, but the emptiness that dwelled in him now was just as annoying.

He lowered his wand and it dissolved into a liquid matter slithering down his arm forming into a snake and crawling around his wrist like a bracelet.

He closed his eyes recalling the things that had just happened.

He had killed the man called Pettigrew…

…

He had killed the men with white masks and dark hoods that had rushed with spells at him…

…

He had killed the child this woman had carried…

…

He had killed the spirit of his host…

…

So much death in so little time…

…

Why?

…

Why wonder?

…

Why indeed?

…

He turned towards the well knowing that soon more men would come, and he was definitely not in the mood for a battle right now. He leaned down and picked the book and the cloak up. Then he touched the stones and the silver snake at his wrist spoke calling forth stairs, which he proceeded to decent.

His body ached terribly with every step he took. The wound on his arm bled even though he had managed to put the bandage around it after the snake had broken through the thin layers of flesh. The bones that were now forced by his spirit to adjust to his usual height to grow, caused him to walk unstable on his aching feet. He steadied his walk by keeping his balance with his hand against the well's walls.

The snake hissed at him a question, but he ignored it. Even though he was now at control of this body, there were things that he needed to do to repay his host for her loss.

Sirius Black had to be saved…

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

This dreams will never stop… will never leave me now…

I watch her sitting there starring with empty eyes at her belly.

I know she hadn't known, which is why I hadn't wanted to awake. I had feared that such a loss would destroy her soul, and indeed it did.

"I have nothing I can give you but a chance that we may live." I speak to her as I reach out for her face, but her body is but an empty shell now, cold to my touch, ignorant to my care.

"Harry…"

But she will no longer answer me.

Silence is a cruel partner…

Loneliness a sad friend...

"Death is just as much of a companion to me as you are now, my Harry…"

I can do no more then keep on holding to your empty shell.

-----------------------------

**END PART II**

**TBC in PART III – Salazar Slytherin**

**-----------------------------**

**A/N:**

So, how was it? Did you like it? Was it any good? Please review and let me know.

On another note, I haven't even started on Part III so I don't have the slightest clue when I can start posting it.

Well see ya then…

Shayla


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